The Japanese Olympic Committee, reflecting on the nation's disappointing results in Turin, criticized some of the athletes Thursday for what it said was their self-indulgent attitudes.
"Some were satisfied with just going to the Olympics, and others commented even after finishing 40th or 50th (in their events) that they 'enjoyed' the competition," Turin Olympic delegation head Kenichi Chizuka said at a JOC board meeting.
"Those attitudes dampened the morale of the whole delegation. We have to consider those problems seriously when we select members for the next Olympics," Chizuka added.
Former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, a JOC board member, pointed to veteran ski jumper Masahiko Harada's disqualification in the normal hill event for using skis that were too long for his weight.
"I don't understand why none of the coaches realized that before his jump," Mori said.
Figure skater Shizuka Arakawa brought home gold, but it proved to be the only medal for Japan, in marked contrast to the JOC's pre-Olympic goal of winning five medals of any color.