TOKYO - Japanese figure skating officials faced a backlash on Monday after Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu arrived home in a wheelchair from China having been allowed to skate despite a sickening collision during warm-up.
Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan (R) lies on the ice rink after crashing into Yan Han of China during a practice session for the Cup of China ISU Grand Prix, in Shanghai, on November 8, 2014
The 19-year-old heartthrob smashed into Chinese skater Yan Han before winding up for a jump in practice, leaving him bleeding from the head and prompting former Olympians to claim that letting him return to the ice could have got him killed.
Hanyu, also the world title holder, needed stitches in his jaw and staples to close wounds in his head, yet he was cleared by doctors to skate in the free routine despite coach Brian Orser warning him it was "no time to be a hero."
Though he went on to finish runner-up at the Cup of China in Shanghai, former Japanese Olympians slammed the decision to let him skate. Hanyu was diagnosed with cranial bruising on Monday following a medical.
"It was irresponsible of the Japan Skating Federation," former Olympic judo medallist Noriko Mizoguchi told AFP.
"He could have had concussion, plus there is always to risk of brain trauma from cases of second impact. Saying it was Hanyu's decision to compete is a poor excuse. Is it alright to let someone risk death? In other sports, such as rugby or judo, if there is any suspicion of concussion, the athlete's safety comes first."
Mizoguchi, who won silver for Japan at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, was supported by former Olympic hurdler Dai Tamesue.
"He could have died," he said, writing in Monday's Nikkan Sports newspaper. "Figure skating is not a contact sport, so possibly they were not checking for concussion. But to compete with that risk can put the athlete's life at risk," wrote the former world bronze medallist.
- Risk of death -
Tamesue also raised the fear of second-impact syndrome, citing claims from the medical profession that people who suffer a further concussion before symptoms of the first have subsided can have a 50 percent risk of dying. Hanyu fell five times during his routine.
"Athletes want to push themselves to their limits," Tamesue said. "But it is up to officials to forcibly stop them from competing if there is a risk of the athlete's future being in danger."
The Japan Skating Federation told AFP that it had been determined Hanyu had not suffered a concussion, but Mizoguchi insisted it was time for the sport to get wise.
"Japan still lags behind the world on the issue of concussion in sport, particularly non-contact, non-combat sports like figure skating," she said, pointing to a summit on youth concussions hosted by US President Barack Obama at the White House earlier this year.
"Figure skating is like show business, as you see with all the flowers and teddy bears the fans throw on the ice for the skaters. Perhaps Hanyu's coach felt pressure to let him perform. But in a climate where President Obama is raising the issue, how Japanese skating officials can be so out of touch is amazing."