Asada-Kim rivalry overdone by Japanese TV

While Mao Asada has struggled to return to form for all eyes to see, Yuna Kim has trained quietly in California. Yes, Kim trains near Hollywood - the land of paparazzi, but how far is too far when it comes to keeping tabs on the Olympic champ? 

There is nothing like a good rivalry in sports and for the last six-plus years, South Korea's Yuna Kim and Japan's Mao Asada have provided that to ladies' figure skating.

But when Kim took the fall international season off to regroup from the Olympic season and adapt to a new coach, there was no Kim-Asada rivalry to discuss. The focus was solely on the struggling world champion Asada.

Unable to weigh her successes and failures against Kim, the Japanese television station Nippon TV has done all it can to find out information on the Olympic champion Kim's new training situation.

Now, Kim's management has issued a complaint against the station for airing hidden camera footage of Kim's off-ice training at her rink in Artesia, California. The footage also shows Kim arriving for practice, shielded by a jacket and later coach Peter Oppegard outside the facility.

Yes, Kim is now training in the Los Angeles area where Hollywood stars being stalked by TMZ and the paparazzi is the norm. But this is figure skating and hidden cameras take the Kim-Asada rivalry a step too far.

While Nippon TV was apparently staking out Kim's new surroundings, Asada was regrouping from a slow start to the season by winning the silver medal at Japanese Nationals. The 20-year-old secured a spot at the World Championships in March, held in none other than Tokyo.

So the stage is set. Kim-Asada take 14 will take place at Worlds. (Kim leads the all-time head-to-head 7-6, including the biggest prize - Olympic gold.) There the media and fans alike can assess how Kim has adjusted to her new training environment when she skates against Asada for this season's biggest title - world champion.

Then we can hyper-analyze who had the better post-Olympic strategy - Asada pushing through her struggles publicly, or Kim, (trying to) privately regroup and re-focus.

source: Alexa Ainsworth, Universal Sports

Japanese media spies on Yuna; Yuna files complaint

Japanese broadcasting company, NTV,  had trespassed into Yuna's skating rink and secretly video taped Yuna while she practiced for her new program for this upcoming World Figureskating Championships. The illegally acquired footage was later shown to the public on December 26.


Note that Yuna's main rival is Mao Asada of Japan who won Silver in the Olympics. Japanese media had always been harsh on Yuna and usually voice complaints every time she wins over Mao.


Yuna's company, "All That Sports" had officially filed a complaint and threatens to take matters further if NTV doesnt cease and desist.

All That Sports, “Will hold NTV responsible if this effects Kim at Worlds”By Xsports on 28/12/ 2010 at 16:22 PM

Yuna Kim’s management, All That Sports(ATS) has sent an official complaint letter to NTV, the Japanese broadcasting company that secretly taped Kim’s training sessions in L.A.

NTV aired the secretly filmed footage of Kim’s training on the evening of Dec. 26 in a program called 'Shin sou hou dou Bankisya (真相報道バンキシャ).'
ATS expressed strong displeasure and sent an official complaint to NTV on the 28th.

 

“NTV filmed inside Kim’s L.A. training rink, a place where videotaping is not allowed - a violation of the ice rink’s regulations. 

Also NTV was not granted any sort of approval to film Kim beforehand.
This is an action that lacks common sense, a shameless act, an act of a broadcasting company that has forgotten the role and responsibility that the media holds,” said ATS.

“If NTV repeats such actions, we will ban them from all future interviews and press conferences related to Kim. 

Also, if this effects Kim’s preparation for the World Championships, or in the case Kim cannot skate at Worlds, we will hold NTV fully responsible,” said ATS.

ATS also demanded that NTV air an apology in secretly taping Kim’s training sessions. 

ATS said if such actions are repeated, they will file a formal complaint to the International Skating Union and the Japanese Skating Federation asking for a restraint on NTV. 

Last week NTV, a Japanese broadcasting company, secretly taped Kim who is currently training in L.A. 

and aired the footage on Dec. 26 on a program called ‘Shin sou hou dou Bankisya.’

This video was filmed secretly by the cameraman sneaking into the rink, without the consent of Kim. The program aired footage of Kim’s off-ice training.

Kim is currently training in L.A., preparing for the World Figure Skating Championships that will be held in March in Japan. 

In a new article released on Dec. 29th, 2010, NTV expressed their thoughts on this situation:
"It's not a problem (about filming Kim) because it was done in a public space.We also explained it thoroughly to Kim's people and reached an understanding," said NTV in Sports Nippon, a Japanese newspaper specializing in sports.

While NTV said “We have worked everything out,” ATS denied these claims saying, “This is not true.”

 

“NTV has yet to apologize, and they certainly did not request any assistance from us (to film Kim) beforehand. On the day of the filming, some of the rink employees at the site spotted a suspicious filming crew. They asked the crew what company they were affiliated with but the crew did not answer and turned back. We can assume that they secretly filmed footage of Kim even after the staff told them to leave" said ATS.

“Our position remains the same. We will hold NTV responsible if this effects Kim in competing at the World Championships. To film a skater’s private training session without prior agreement and permission is simply absurd. 

Our position stands still - We strongly ask that NTV air an official apology.  NTV has voiced their opinion through the Japanese media but they have yet to contact us directly.
We will, for the time being, wait for an official response,” said ATS.

Yuna's official fanpage, "Feverskating" expressed their thoughts and concerns about the issue: 

NTV is the same broadcasting company that aired the judging process of a figure skating judge at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

In 2006, three NTV reporters were caught trying to break-in David Beckham’s house in Madrid, Spain. 

They tried to climb over the neighboring fence with digital cameras in hand, but were caught by the security guards that spotted them on the security cameras.The security guard called out “Stop. Don’t move” while pointing a gun. The three held up their hands and identified themselves as reporters of a Japanese TV broadcasting company.Beckham was at practice and not home at that time but his wife Victoria and their youngest son, then 1 year old, had to leave for their safety.

Secretly filming someone without their consent is a crime.

If NTV has on-ice footage of Yuna that they did not air, they should discard it at once.

Whether their true intentions were to simply get a scoop, spying to get information on Yuna’s new programs and training methods, or to add psychological pressure, we shall never know.

One thing is clear.It is a low act that goes against media ethics and sportsmanship as well.

source: feverskating.com

Did Yuna Fire Brian?

First of all, let's make it clear that Yuna and Brian's contract had ended last March. Yuna simply didn't renew the contract. It was not FIRING as Reuters had callously announced.

As I've posted below, news of Yuna Kim splitting with her coach of almost 4 years, Brian Orser had shocked the skating community. As a Yuna fan, I was also quite surprised since Yuna and Brian are known to have the closest skater-coach relationship. It's not everyday that you see commercials where both skater and coach sing to a version of "Sugar" while dancing on an island, promoting some Air-conditioner. (vid below)



What's even worse is the tension that exploded after said split. Instead of an amicable announcement, rumors are flying that Brian had 'betrayed' Yuna to the Japanese, or that Yuna's mom fired Brian without telling Yuna, or that Yuna had become cocky and ungrateful to Brian and decided she can do it all herself.

There were also issues on how Brian publicly revealed Yuna's music to her long program without telling her, which is quite a big NO-NO in the skating world. Some people also pointed out Yuna's revelation earlier this year of how she had lost her competitive edge and motivation after winning the Gold Medal in the Olympics, and this had off-set Brian and David  Wilson(the choreographer).

Let's face it, this is probably Yuna's biggest controversy in her life. She had always been the perfect skating Queen with the perfect dream team to back her up. It's no wonder she was quite shocked herself by the response of some people and how Brian presented the situation to the media, making it look like he was fired without warning. Unlike other athletes who are flooded with controversy everyday, Yuna is not used to becoming the tabloid fixture in Korea in such a negative light. Yuna had then taken her frustrations public by posting an announcement:

However, though they are shocked as I was, Yuna fans in facebook and forums had sticked by the skater's side. Though most of us had expressed great sadness on the separation, we have come to terms that it is quite common for an athlete to change coaches. Hopefully, everything would turn out ok for all of them. Both parties owe a lot to the other to be where they are now in their careers, and despite all the media sh*tstorm, may Yuna and Brian remain friends. Afterall, 4 years, is a lot to simply throw away.