"I want to participate in the LA Olympics." Ohtani's biggest topic, Commissioner Manfred, will he move his mind?
Jul 16, 2024
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In an interview with local media at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on the 16th (Korean time), a day before the All-Star Game, Ohtani said of participating in the 2028 LA Olympics `If I can personally, I would like to participate in the Olympics" he said.
In the Olympics, the official event was decided depending on the venue. Baseball, which has been excluded from the 2024 Paris Olympics, will be included again as an official event at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Ohtani expressed his willingness to lead the Japanese national team and participate.
Ohtani participated in the WBC in March last year and beat the U.S. in the final to win the championship. I feel the same way about the Olympics.
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Ohtani said "International competitions are always special. The Olympics will also be a bigger opportunity for sports fans in non-baseball countries to watch baseball. In that sense, I think participating in the Olympics is very important for baseball" he said.
As Ohtani said, the Olympics is an important opportunity to promote baseball and all other sports to the world. It is a huge promotional event that can promote Major League Baseball, or baseball, to the world. If Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees' home run king, expresses his willingness to participate in the LA Olympics as a member of the U.S. national team, it will not only move the commissioner's mind, but it could also lead to a global baseball boom.
Philadelphia Phillies Bryce Harper said in a World Tour event in London last month that `there is no more world-class stage than the Olympics. I watch most sports through the Olympics. Because it's just the Olympics. It's a great stage," he said, strongly insisting on Major League Baseball's participation in the Olympics.
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The dream team Johnson mentioned refers to the U.S. basketball team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. At that time, the U.S. set up a national team of NBA's best superstars, including Jordan, Johnson, Scottie Pippen, Carl Malone, Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, John Stockton, and David Robinson, to win all eight gold medals.
jhno@sportschosun.com
