[Special Feature: Tokyo 2020 and Keio University] Takaki Kato: Experiencing the Tokyo Games as a Referee

2021/12/16

The Tokyo 2020 Games, held during the COVID-19 pandemic, were very different from the glamorous image of the Olympics I had previously imagined. However, now that my first Olympics are over, this experience is not a goal for me, but rather a start to improving the quality of my future activities.

Just as many athletes risk their lives to aim for the Olympics, it is not easy for us referees to stand on the Olympic court. There are a total of 30 referees for 5-on-5 basketball at the Olympics, and the best members are selected at the time of the tournament, taking into account the abilities of each referee who has officiated at various International Basketball Federation (FIBA) tournaments since the previous Games. Being selected as one of only 30 Olympic referees in the world once every four years is very precious in itself, but the fact that the opportunity was for a tournament held in my own country was a miraculous probability, and I was beyond happy.

On the other hand, due to the influence of the new coronavirus, I had complex emotions inside about participating in this tournament, where the pros and cons of holding it were being fiercely debated. As the number of infected people increased and I saw more negative media coverage about the event, I sometimes felt a sense of guilt about officiating the Olympics, which should have been a happy occasion for me. Also, because I heard opinions that it should be cancelled until just before the start, I sometimes became suspicious of whether it would actually be held.

However, regardless of the presence or absence of these emotions, what I could do and what I had to do was to demonstrate the best performance I could possibly have when the Olympics were successfully held and I actually officiated a game, and to do my best to prepare for that.

One month before the Olympics, I officiated the Olympic Qualifying Tournament held in Croatia. I found points for improvement from the evaluation of the games I officiated there, and after returning to Japan, I was able to work out countermeasures by analyzing a lot of footage. Also, after returning to Japan, there was a two-week home quarantine, and there were corresponding difficulties in preparation, but by not making excuses for the environment or emotions and facing my own points for improvement head-on, I was able to approach the games with a good image from the first match at the actual Olympics.

In both the final qualifying round in Croatia and the main Olympic tournament, there were many moments when I felt the terrifying intensity of each country representing their nation and aiming for an Olympic medal. Also, especially for this tournament, many players declined to represent their countries due to the influence of the new coronavirus, and each country struggled more or less to assemble their best members.

Since a single whistle from us referees had the potential to be an important decision that would sway the outcome of the game, we were required to very carefully examine whether or not to blow the whistle for each and every play. Being able to pursue my own refereeing while feeling this atmosphere firsthand from the final qualifying round was a great asset not only for the main Olympic tournament but also for my future career as a referee.

I officiated five games in my first Olympics, and in every game, I was able to demonstrate the best performance I could possibly have. As a result, I was able to officiate the women's bronze medal match.

On the other hand, regardless of whether we officiated the Olympics or not, we referees must constantly repeat improvements to provide a better game. The moment we think we are perfect, our growth stops, and we will no longer be able to demonstrate a better performance than that. However, that means we can continue to improve and grow constantly until the day we eventually retire. In other words, even if I officiated the Olympics held in my own country with a miraculous probability, it is not a goal for me.

Now that I have officiated the Olympics, the world's highest sporting festival, what I was made to think about was not something special, but rather the importance of constantly repeating the steady effort of sincerely facing the points for improvement obtained as a result of doing my best, just like in other games so far, and providing a better game at the next opportunity. And in that I was able to reconfirm these things, officiating the Olympics became a new start for me.

I would like to officiate future World Cups and Olympics again as a result of my future efforts, but my future efforts will not change depending on whether or not I can officiate these tournaments. Without becoming arrogant because I officiated the Olympics this time, I want to continue to grow by facing points for improvement in each and every game and each and every play every day in order to provide better games in the future.