Tokyo Olympics: Video of Judo Coach Slapping and Shaking Athlete in Bizarre Pre-fight Ritual Goes Viral

The followers of the 2020 Tokyo Games were left in shock after they witnessed German athlete Martyna Trajdos getting shaken up and slapped before her round of 32 elimination match. The bizarre moment was also caught on the camera and the video of the same has gone viral on the internet. The incident took place moments before Trajdos’ round of 32 fight against Szofi Ozbas of Hungary on Tuesday afternoon.

In the footage, a determined Trajdos could be seen walking on the mat alongside her coach Claudiu Pusa. Just when she was about to enter on stage, her coach abruptly grabbed her by collar and then shook her back and forth before slapping her twice.

Following this, the German judoka nodded and walked on to the match.

In the end, Trajdos was beaten at the hands of Ozbas by Waza-Ari. However, the clip of her with her coach Pusa before the start of the match has grabbed the eyeballs of the netizens.

While a few people were against the bizarre ritual and voiced their concerns regarding her well being, others said it’s fine if it helps the athletes.

Meanwhile, Trajdos has come in defence of her coach saying that it is just a motivational tactic and it helps her to “be awake” before a contest. She even went in to say that maybe the slap was not ‘hard enough’ as she lost the match.

“I wish I could have made a different headline today. As I already said that’s the ritual which I chose pre-competition! My coach is just doing what I want him to do to fire me up,” she wrote on Instagram.

Responding to the post, Dutch television host Dennis van der Geest said, “Who cares what people think. We are doing a combat sport and if this helps you.” Trajdos, 32, is a German Judo player. She was born in Poland but currently resides in Cologne. Trajdos is a world bronze medallist (2019) and former European Games champion (2015).

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