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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Committee President Mori Booed by Runners During Speech at Start of Tokyo Marathon

http://www.j-cast.com/2014/02/24197482.html

translated by Brett Larner

 Beginning at Tokyo City Hall and finishing 42.195 km later at Tokyo Big Sight, the 2014 Tokyo Marathon took place on Feb. 23.  During the opening ceremonies before the start of the race, Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics Organizing Committee President and former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, 76, was introduced and gave a speech.  Mori caused controversy last week when he criticized figure skater Mao Asada, the Vancouver Olympics silver medalist, saying, "She always falls when it counts the most."  According to the Twitter feeds of runners taking part in the race and other sources, when Mori appeared the crowd of runners in the starting area began booing.
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