A cardboard bed at the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games athletes' village is seen in the capital's Chuo Ward on June 20, 2021. (Mainichi/Kimi Takeuchi)

       TOKYO -- An Israeli Olympian who caused controversy with a video of athletes breaking a cardboard bed in the Tokyo Olympics athletes' village has begun a fundraiser for recovery efforts at a central Japan city hit by a fatal July 3 mudslide.

       On July 26, Israeli pitcher Ben Wanger posted a video to TikTok showing multiple athletes testing the strength of one of the athletes' village cardboard beds by jumping on it, and the resultant broken bed.

       The athletes reacted quickly after the video invited a strong backlash online and elsewhere. Israel's public broadcaster KAN said on its official Twitter account that the Israeli Olympic Committee strongly criticized their actions and that the athletes, including Wanger, apologized. The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games has indicated it does not intend to punish them.

       Wanger launched the crowdfund on July 31 to raise money for reconstruction efforts in the spa resort city of Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, recovering from a large mudslide.

       Wanger wrote on the campaign site: "Many people have long awaited the return of the Olympics in Tokyo 2021 after the covid pandemic. What many people do not know is that about a month before the Games, a disastrous landslide hit Atami -- a coastal city southwest of Tokyo. If you enjoy watching the Olympics or enjoying Olympian content on Tik Tok, please consider donating to Atami city to help the rebuilding process."

       He is calling for donations via his Twitter account and other means. The target of $3,000, which includes Wanger's $200 donation, was achieved by Aug. 3. Atami will receive all funds raised.

       The Israeli baseball team got through the group stage but lost its quarterfinal match against South Korea in mercy rules -- their opponents won with a 10-run difference in a seven-inning game -- on Aug. 2. On Aug. 3 they will play the Dominican Republic in the first round of repechage matches.

       (Japanese original by Shohei Kawamura, Sports News Department)

       Font Size S M L Print Timeline 0