Sunday, August 8th, 2021
Karate delivers bad images
Unconscious Olympic champion overshadows premiere
Karate world champion Jonathan Horne at the Olympic premiere is stopped by a serious injury. An unconscious Olympic champion and a “fictitious” fight are also remembered. But that shouldn’t reduce the overall impression of the sport, says a top German official.
“World champion Jonathan Horne tossed and screamed in pain, the forearm was in an unnatural angle. Two and a half hours later the judges then chose an unconscious Olympic champion, provided with an oxygen mask and a ruff. Karate delivered bad pictures and one at its premiere in the mythical martial arts temple of Nippon Budokan Scandal. “Those are the things that many people remember,” said sports director Christian Grüner from the German Karate Association: “But that shouldn’t reduce the overall impression of karate. There were also spectacular, exciting fights on three days of competition. “
A dislocated elbow had stopped the German gold favorite Horne in the second preliminary round fight – five seconds before the end. Olympia ended for the 32-year-old on the stretcher, with extreme pain and serious consequences. The right elbow was adjusted again in the hall. But: “Because it took so long, it resulted in further injuries to the ligaments and muscles,” said Grüner. Because of several torn ligaments, Horne has to be operated on.
“It’s a tragedy”
Vice world champion Sajad Ganjzadeh went a few seconds before the end of the final after a foot strike by Saudis Tareg Hamedi. Even while the Iranian was being treated hectically, the referees disqualified his opponent, who had led 4: 1. Hansoku – the kick in the head that would have made Bruce Lee jealous, was considered a serious rule break. At the award ceremony, Ganjzadeh still had a headache, but was “happy to have won the medal”.
Horne had already been x-rayed and a broken bone had been ruled out. The MRI on Sunday confirmed the suspicion of torn ligaments. The Kaiserslautern player had led 4: 3 in the heavyweight division after a 4: 4 draw in the first fight against the Kazakh World Cup fifth Danijar Juldaschew in the second duel against the Georgian Gogita Arkania before the injury stopped him. “He was in top form and would certainly have lived up to his role as a favorite,” said DKV President Wolfgang Weigert: “It’s a tragedy.”
“Not Olympic-ready what they brought”
Even before the Horne drama, Noah Bitsch had caused a stir. The European Championship third had just missed a medal in the class up to 75 kilograms on Friday and raised serious allegations against his opponents. “Fair play is actually part of the Olympics. That was not Olympic-ready, what they brought,” said the European Championship third after his qualifying round. In his opinion, the two-time world champion Rafael Aghajew from Azerbaijan let the later Olympic champion Luigi Busa from Italy win in the last pool fight so that he also made it to the semifinals. National coach Thomas Nitschmann spoke of a “fictitious” fight.
Not good advertising for Japanese martial arts, which will no longer be part of the Olympic program in Paris in 2024. One must now “work on advancing karate”, demanded Grüner, “so that it becomes more attractive and we have a chance to be there again in 2028.”
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