An Olympic champion is to have her gold medal replaced after a mayor put it between his teeth at an event – sparking outrage among those who thought it made a mockery of Covid protocols at the Games.
Miu Goto was part of the Japanese softball team which claimed the title at Tokyo 2020.
The 20-year-old pitcher helped the host country to victory in a sport which has been absent from the Olympics since Beijing 2008.
When she was showing off her medal at an event in her home city of Nagoya, mayor Takashi Kawamura lowered his face covering and bit on it – an action athletes generally do at the Games after winning a medal.
The city is said to have received more than 7,000 complaints over the incident, with the mayor accused of "lacking respect".
Car manufacturer Toyota, which owns the Red Terriers softball team of which Goto is a part, also said his actions were "inappropriate" and "extremely regrettable".
Fellow Japanese athlete Yuki Ota said on social media: " Apart from showing a lack of respect for athletes, he bit it even though [athletes] are putting on medals themselves or on their team-mates during medal ceremonies as part of infection prevention measures. Sorry, I can't understand it."
The phrase "germ medal" was soon trending on Twitter in the Asian country, while Kawamura apologised for his actions and for "making the symbol of years and years of hard work dirty".
The BBC reports the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has agreed to provide Goto with a replacement medal.
The mayor is said to have offered to pay for a replacement, though the cost of the new medal will be covered by the IOC, according to a statement from Tokyo 2020 organisers.
The official Twitter account for the Games joked: "We just want to officially confirm that the #Tokyo2020 medals are not edible!"
Inside the Games said Kawamura will no longer make a scheduled appearance at an event for the Paralympic Torch Relay, which is set to take place on Sunday.
