Shinichi Shinohara

nihongo|Shinichi Shinohara|篠原 信一|Shinohara Shinichi|extra=born January 23, 1973 in Kobe, Japan is a former "jūdōka" and winner of the gold medal at the 1999 World Judo Championships in Birmingham.cite web|url=http://www.joc.or.jp/past_games/sydney/member/judo/shinoharashinichi.html|title=篠原 信一|publisher=Japanese Olympic Committee|date=|accessdate=2007-10-28] To Shinohara's disappointment, French champion David Douillet did not compete at Birmingham due to back injury; Shinohara was quoted as saying, "Even though I lifted the double crown at the worlds, it won't mean anything as long as people say it was won in Douillet's absence." Douillet had previously been declared victor at the 1997 championships in Paris after a French judge gave Shinohara a controversial penalty. [cite news|publisher=CNN|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/olympics/newswire/2000/08/25/219238113550_afp/|date=2000-08-25|accessdate=2007-10-25|title=Japan's judo giant seeks revenge over French rival]

Three years after, Shinohara received the silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics when he was defeated by Douillet due to another disputed judgment about Uchi Mata Sukashi in the finals which was strongly protested by the Japanese participants. Douillet had been awarded a small score early in the match for a throw which he began, but then over-rotated and landed on his back; Shinohara fell to the mat as well. One judge had ruled for Shinohara, while the other two ruled for Douillet.cite news|url=http://espn.go.com/oly/summer00/news/2000/0922/767683.html|publisher=ESPN|title=Summer Olympics 2000: Douillet returns to retain Olympic crown|date=2000-09-22|accessdate=2007-10-25] Shinohara cried throughout the medal ceremony as a result of his loss, while head coach and 1984 Olympic champion Yasuhiro Yamashita harshly criticised the judges and apologized to Shinohara for his powerlessness after ceremony.cite news|publisher=Nihon Keizai Shimbun|url=http://www.nikkei.co.jp/topic5/sydney/games/judo/20000922eiii142222.html/|date=2000-09-22|accessdate=2007-11-02|title=「判定まさか」篠原無念|language=Japanese|quote=「弱いから負けた。（ドイエは）強かったです」] However, at a later press conference, Shinohara expressed that he was not dissatisfied with the judgment, stating, "I lost because I was weak. Douillet was strong."

As of 2007, Shinohara coaches judo at his alma mater, Tenri University, where he previously studied as an undergraduate. Among his students is Asian champion Takamasa Anai.

References

External links

* [http://youtube.com/watch?v=h-yjzWsK87Y&mode=related&search= Youtube Video (2000 Summer Olympics blue:Shinohara, white:Douillet)
* [http://www.judovision.org/?s=Shinohara Competition videos of Shinichi Shinohara] (judovision.org)