Chapter 475: Cancellation of the Match

Chapter 475: Cancellation of the Match

The whole universe knows how South Korea behaves in sports—cheating abroad and rigging games at home are basic operations. South Korea has lodged many protests overseas, but other countries have also frequently protested against South Korea. Yet, despite this, it was extremely rare for athletes to withdraw from international events held in South Korea. This time, a collective withdrawal by multiple countries was unprecedented.

Meng Fan was the first to withdraw due to injury. The International Judo Federation regretted it but could not stop him. When the Chinese team collectively announced their withdrawal, the organizers realized things had gotten serious—they knew the Chinese team meant business this time. In past competitions, especially those related to speed skating, the Chinese team had protested and expressed dissatisfaction with the South Korean team but never withdrew. This time, the judo team had made a firm decision!

Thinking about it, any national team with such a treasure would have to give full support, especially after such a great injustice and unfairness.

Then Teddy Riner withdrew, and the organizers grew uneasy. The top star withdrew, the second star also withdrew—how could the competition continue? It was supposed to be a Masters, but its value had dropped a whole level.

They went to ask, but before Teddy Riner gave an answer, news came that the entire French team had withdrawn.

What was this about!

Did the grievances of the Chinese team have anything to do with them?

Yes, they did!

In the French team's view, it had everything to do with them, and they told the organizers plainly where.

"Tracing back to the cause, it's that China's Meng is too strong—so strong that the South Korean team can't hold their heads up! We may not be as strong as China's Meng, but sorry, we also have the strength to make the South Korean team lower their heads! Today, they protest against Meng Fan! Tomorrow, won't they protest against us? And most importantly, this is our French team's protest against this cyberbullying incident!"

Well, those two reasons were indeed valid, but there was an additional important consideration: "Judo" currently has a East-West struggle for discourse power (influencing rule-making to favor Western physiques). At this Olympics, the Chinese team performed brilliantly, and together with Japan, they were suppressing the West. The only Western judo forces that could compete were France and the professional system. Seeing the East stirring up trouble, of course they had to "support"!

Although China's momentum was unstoppable, along with Japanese judo, South Korean judo seemed irrelevant, but they were still one of the strong teams—why not add some chaos?

Moreover, this withdrawal was a "righteous cause," and they believed the domestic and global public would support and applaud them!

As for Japan, they naturally planned to withdraw after the Chinese team did, but unfortunately, they weren't as fast as the French team. The Japanese team's grievances against South Korea were never less than the Chinese team's. They withdrew first out of humanitarian concern, strongly protesting and condemning the cyberbullying incident, then to spite the South Korean team, and finally, if they had to say, to support Meng Fan.

The remaining five teams that also withdrew had half their reasons split between protesting the cyberbullying incident and jumping on the bandwagon.

The other half had more peculiar reasons.

These five teams were relatively strong. If the Chinese, French, and Japanese teams all withdrew, the remaining medals would basically go to them and South Korea. That seemed like a good thing, but after careful thought, they immediately withdrew.

Why?

Because those medals were too hot to handle!

Apart from South Korea's toxic media environment, no one was stupid. Everyone could see that the three strong teams withdrawing would earn worldwide applause, and with their withdrawal, the protest against cyberbullying would peak. In such an environment, anyone continuing to compete would feel uncomfortable, and winning medals would be even worse.

Most importantly, the value of these medals had dropped significantly!

Thinking deeper, one could even say that after this series of collective withdrawals pushed public opinion to its peak, these medals were no longer honors!

Who cares? I don't want them anyway—it's not like I've never seen a Masters gold medal!

Eight strong teams withdrawing one after another completely stunned the organizers, the remaining teams, and the South Korean team. As for the people worldwide, they burst into applause, offering high praise.

Regardless, this cyberbullying incident was related to the judo competition. The judo athletes choosing to protest in this way were naturally welcomed and respected.

"Are they crazy? All of them? Since the founding of the International Judo Federation, nothing like this has ever happened at a Masters!"

"Miss Weizer! What should we do now?"

"What to do? Can we stop them? We can't. Can we punish them?"

"We can punish them, but..."

"But what? Public opinion, right? You're afraid of public opinion? So am I! But some people just aren't afraid! Go, summon the head of the South Korean Judo Federation!"

"Miss Weizer! More withdrawals! And this time... a lot! Except for South Korea and four national teams, everyone else has withdrawn!"

"...God! No need to summon the head of the South Korean Judo Federation! Arrange a press conference!"

"Your meaning is?"

"Almost all teams have withdrawn. This Masters can no longer be held. Rather than let it become a joke, it's better to directly announce the cancellation of this Busan station of the Masters! And... and, until a satisfactory response is given to this cyberbullying incident, our International Judo Federation will temporarily cancel all competitions in South Korea!"

"Isn't this too hasty? Do we need to discuss it with other committee members?"

"...I have a clear idea. You go arrange the press conference. I'll hold an emergency teleconference with other members now!"

"Okay!"

The president of the International Judo Federation had already taken two doses of heart medicine. Although many national teams had informed her before announcing their withdrawals, she still felt suffocated. There were simply too many withdrawals—so many that she dared not impose any punishment or restrictions. It wasn't just that the law couldn't punish the majority; the key was that if these national teams all walked out, she would be left as a figurehead president. Not to mention anything else, just China, France, and Japan—three judo powerhouses—united in their stance, and she had to compromise and yield.

Not only could she not punish them, but she also had to stand with them.

Soon after the emergency meeting, at the press conference, Weizer announced the cancellation of this competition. Although she ultimately did not announce the cancellation of all competitions in South Korea, she clearly expressed her determination to stand with Meng Fan and the judo athletes from the withdrawing national teams.

(End of this chapter)