Olympic gold medallist to be given new medal after the first one got bitten by her hometown mayor

A Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallist will be given a new medal after the mayor of her hometown bit the first.

 

During an event to celebrate softball athlete, Miu Goto's triumph, 
Takashi Kawamura, mayor of Japanese city Nagoya, sparked fury online when he lowered his mask and bit on the medal.

The mayor was blasted after putting the medal between his teeth at a ceremony last week to celebrate Japan's victory over the USA in the women's softball final.

He was accused of ignoring Covid-19 restrictions and "lacking respect" leading social media users to attack him on social media.

 

"Apart from showing a lack of respect for athletes, he bit it even though [athletes] are putting on medals themselves or on their team-mates during medal ceremonies as part of infection prevention measures. Sorry, I can't understand it," Japanese silver medallist fencer Yuki Ota wrote on Twitter.

"Germ medal" was soon trending on social media in Japan. 

Toyota, the owners of the team Goto plays for, even condemned the gesture, calling it "inappropriate" and "extremely regrettable".

 

Now, Olympic officials have announced they will swap Goto's medal for an untarnished one, and the mayor apologized saying he would pay for a replacement.

 

After the Mayor's actions prompted over 7,000 complaints to city authorities, the 72-year-old mayor apologised.

 

"I forgot my position as Nagoya mayor and acted in an extremely inappropriate way," he said, adding that he wanted to pay for a replacement medal.

A statement from Tokyo 2020 organisers on Thursday said the replacement had been agreed between the International Olympic Committee and Ms Goto. The IOC would cover the costs, it said.