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Japanese ski jumper Sara Takanashi issued an emotional apology on social media after she was one of five athletes disqualified for violating suit regulations Monday at the 2022 Olympics.
“I am very sorry that the chance of winning a medal has been taken away from the Japanese team,” Takanashi — who has a record 61 World Cup wins on her resume — said in a post on Instagram that was translated by CNN.
“It is an undeniable fact that my disqualification changed everyone’s lives. Even if I apologize the medal will not be returned.”
Takanashi was disqualified from Monday’s Olympic mixed team competition due to the size of her suit, which was determined to be two centimeters wider than permitted around her thighs, according to Reuters
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The International Ski Federation (FIS) said in a statement that all nations were checked during competition in Beijing.
“The used suits that led to the disqualifications were too big and offered an aerodynamic advantage to the athlete…” the statement read. “The suits used were produced exclusively for the Olympic Games and were therefore not previously tested by the FIS EC.”
FIS guidelines state that “an athlete may only take part in a FIS Competition with equipment which conforms to the FIS regulations.”
Japan’s National Olympic Committee has not yet addressed the situation.
Takanashi, 25, recorded an impressive 103-meter jump at Zhangjiakou National Ski Jumping Centre before the disqualification.
Slovenia won gold, the Russian Olympic Committee took silver and Canada collected bronze.
Four other female ski jumpers representing Austria, Germany, and Norway (twice) were also disqualified from the competition for wearing loose-fitting suits.
Norwegian ski jumping chief of sports Clas Brede Braathen reportedly apologized on behalf of ski jumping and said, “This is something we should have cleaned up in before the Olympics. The sport of ski jumping has experienced one of its darker days today.”
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Germany’s Katharina Althaus took a harsher approach while speaking out about her disqualification, which occurred in the first round of the mixed team race.
She fought back tears while telling Reuters that the International Ski Federation (FIS) “destroyed” and “damaged” women’s ski jumping.
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