A fumble on the grandest sporting event in the world is never desired. Even more so, if the judgment error crumbles the dream of an athlete who had to make his way through mountains to be there on the grand stage. While Japan sits firmly atop the Paris Olympic medal table with 13 total medals 7 of them being gold, the tragic incident that crossed judoka Ryuju Nagayama’s path cannot be forgotten altogether.

The referee’s controversial call, which awarded Nagayama’s Spanish opponent the match point, baffled the 28-year-old Japanese star, the onlookers, and possibly his opponent, too last Saturday. However, while the fate of the three-time World Masters gold medalist is already sealed with a bronze medal, fans speculate this wouldn’t be the time to put things to rest.

Ryuju Nagayama wasn’t ready for what happened

Just a day ago, Ryuju took to Instagram to finally share his thoughts on what went down at the French capital last weekend. Posting a photo with Francisco Garrigós, the man who knocked him out of the quarterfinals, Nagayama hinted that the first step toward putting the affair in the rearview mirror has been taken. “My friend Francisco Garrigós came to see me and offered his apologies,” said Hokkaido native in his post, noting that it was an “unfortunate outcome” for the Spaniard as well.

Locking horns with Nagayama in the -60kg bracket, the 2023 World Championships gold medalist Garrigos put a chokehold on the former at the Champ de Mars Arena last Saturday. He didn’t loosen his grip even after the referee called matte. With the match going in favor of Francisco, Ryuju looked evidently bewildered. He refused to shake hands with the match-winner, and instead bowed the mat and left after some time.

While the 2022 Asian Championships gold medalist seems to be slowly coming to terms with how things unfolded in Paris, judo fans seem to think the matter shouldn’t be given a hall pass. Instead, they believe, some dialogue should be intimated about how such a thing can be devastating for the participating athlete.

The judo community unsure if the ball should be dropped

One fan thinks a statement from judo’s global apex body should be warranted in light of the magnitude of what happened. Considering how rulesets dictate the points that are awarded, Abyl thinks the issue should be raised to the folks higher up in the pecking order so the judo connoisseurs can make their peace. “I think this case should be discussed,” wrote the fan, pointing in the direction of the International Judo Federation.

When the referee the controversial call, Nagayama refused to accept the ruling and instead signed for a reset. However, the match official didn’t bother and proceeded to declare Garrigos the winner. The unexpected nature of the whole fiasco caught Ryuju off-guard and he stood comprehending what just happened. Jimmy, taking note of how flummoxed the Japanese star looked, holds the opinion something like this shouldn’t be experienced by anyone on the biggest stage. “I pray that this will never happen again,” reads his comment.

Okome, instead, thinks this can be the beginning of a thrilling rivalry that will see its culmination four years from now: in the United States of America. “I am excited about watching the gold medal contest（Nagayama vs garrigos）on Los Angels Olympic 2028,” said the hopeful fan who is just here for the spine-tingling moments on the mat.

However, despite Franciso’s effort to call the incident water under the bridge, not all community members are willing to put the thing to bed. Instead, they want some tangible outcome to make things right. “This isn’t a beauty story or anything, the problem hasn’t solved,” said another fan in the comment section of Nagayama’s post.

Ingen also fears taking the high road can prove to be disastrous for Ryuju, as history can attest. “Samurai’s mercy… And that’s how the samurai disappeared,” sounds the fan’s solemn warning and hinted that Nagayama should try and get an explanation from the authorities.

Did you watch the nail-biter match as well? What did you think of the referee’s call? What do you could have been different? Tell us in the comments below.