Japan's Miu Goto pitches during the softball game between Japan and Australia at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 21, 2021, in Fukushima, Japan. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
By Mari Yamaguchi
A Japanese mayor apologized Thursday for biting the Olympic gold medal of a softball player who had paid a courtesy visit after Japan beat the United States in the final.
Nagoya mayor Takashi Kawamura had praised pitcher Miu Goto during the Aug. 4 visit, but his eyes were glued to her medal. He asked her to put it around his neck. Kawamura then pulled down his face mask and bit into it.
“I’m really sorry that I hurt the treasure of the gold medalist,” Kawamura told reporters Thursday.
The mayor said the medal was undamaged, though he offered to pay for the cost of a new one.
Goto, however, has accepted the International Olympic Committee's offer of a replacement, according to Japanese media reports.
The medal bite has become a staple of Olympic photo-ops — but for the winners themselves, not others.
The scene broadcast on television prompted thousands of complaints to city hall. Some Olympians said they treat their medals as treasures and that it was outrageous for Kawamura to bite one.
“I would cry if that happened to me,” Naohisa Takato, who won gold for Japan in judo, said in a tweet. “I handle my own gold medal so gently not to scratch it.”
Yuki Ota, a silver-medal winning fencer, said the mayor's action was disrespectful to athletes and was a bad idea for COVID-19 measures.
Goto reportedly considered keeping the original but eventually accepted the IOC offer of a replacement.
Support pours in for Turkey and Syria earthquake support, a fire broke out during a United Airlines flight, and more officers are expected to be charged in the beating death of Tyre Nichols. Here is everything you Need2Know for February 8, 2023.
The urgent search for survivors of the Turkey earthquake, the latest on the Ohio train derailment, and suspects charged in play to damage Baltimore's power grid. Here is everything you Need2Know for Tuesday, February 7, 2023.
Control of Disney's Orlando area theme parks may soon go to a board chosen by Governor Ron DeSantis. Republican lawmakers unveil the bill that would give Republicans authority over the state's largest employer.
N'Sync was arguably one of the biggest boy bands during their run and group member Lance Bass wants to recount the golden days -- he's asking other legendary acts to share their boy band memories as well.
A Michigan man, Keith Stonehouse, received delivery upon delivery from Grubhub that he did not order. Then, he remembered that he let his six-year-old son, Mason, play on his phone before bedtime.
