Japanese comedian Hiroshi Neko should run with respect for adopted Cambodia

Hem Bunting sleeps on cardboard in his room

April 23, 2012
By Hiroshi Ochiai, Editorial Board
Mainichi Japan

Japanese comedian Hiroshi Neko, who acquired Cambodian citizenship in order to appear in the London Olympics, is being exposed to criticism over his decision. Since changing his nationality last fall, he continues to live based out of Japan, and there is no end to those calling it a cheap move to use citizenship as a way to compete in the Olympics.

On March 25, the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia announced that it had chosen Neko as the country's men's marathon representative. Neko's best record is 2 hours, 30 minutes and 26 seconds, a time over the B-class entry standard of 2 hours and 18 minutes. However, for Olympic track and field events, if there are no athletes who beat the entry standards for any of the events, then an exception allows one male and one female athlete to each compete in one event. This exception allows Neko to compete.

Commenting on the controversial situation, Olympic marathon medalist Yuko Arimori, who has supported Cambodia for many years through running events and other methods, was quoted as saying with a tearful voice, "When I think of the feelings of the young athlete who is giving up his position to a Japanese, I feel frustration." Neko has acknowledged the criticism against him, saying, "There is a lot of tough criticism, like asking what the Cambodian people think."

However, cases like Neko's are not rare. In track and field, there is no end to African athletes being invited by Middle Eastern countries rich with oil money and changing their nationalities.

In Cambodia, there is a runner whose best record surpasses Neko's. He was the country's marathon representative named Hem Bunting in the last Olympics in Beijing, and in the Paris marathon on April 15 he set a new record for Cambodia of 2 hours, 23 minutes and 29 seconds. Disagreements with the Cambodian track and field federation are one reason cited for why he was not chosen as the country's representative for London.

Regarding the decisions of the Cambodian Olympic committee or track and field federation, we here in Japan should be careful about speaking out. However, I will point out that one of the corporate sponsors of Cambodia's Olympic committee is a Japanese corporation that supports Neko's activities.

From this year, the rules of the International Association of Athletics Federations on participation in international competitions for athletes who change their nationalities have become stricter, and the possibility remains that Neko will be denied participation.

The Olympics is a sporting event, and many people would surely feel insulted if Neko conducted silly performances during the race or after crossing the finish line. I hope that he runs the 42.195 kilometers with feelings of respect and thanks.

Dai Tamesue, aiming for his fourth appearance in the 400-meter hurdles, wrote on Twitter, "If Neko has changed his citizenship, I want him to pass on to Cambodia what Japan's marathons are like and become a father of the sport there." It was a call of support for the hard-working Neko, who has improved his time by over an hour since his first marathon four years ago.