Olympic silver-medalist Shinichi Shinohara will sit out next week's Kano Cup international judo competition, officials said Sunday, pointing to a lack of training since last fall's controversial loss in the Sydney Olympics heavyweight final.
Shinohara has reportedly been bothered by chronic lower back pains and has failed to practice since losing to France's David Douillet in the Olympic final last September.
In the heavyweight gold medal final in Sydney, Shinohara scored an apparent "ippon" off a counter to Douillet's inner thigh sweep, but the exchange was ruled a "yuko" point for the Frenchman as both judoka tumbled to the mat.