Olympic champion Murofushi gives hammer lecture - IAAF Online Diaries 09. January 08

"How are you everyone? The year (2007) has come to an end. Because this year’s World Championships in Athletics were held in Osaka, I would imagine that many people have started to like Japan.

"A historic heat wave that hit Osaka this summer may have been a reason why some athletes had trouble at the World Championships; it will be good if we can renew our enthusiasm once again in the upcoming Beijing Olympics.

"As for the recent activities in my life, I, as a representative of athletes, spoke about sports at the Liberal Democrat’s (leading political party) headquarter on 11 December. Along with the movement toward promoting Sports, there is a plan for establishing a “Ministry of Sports” by 2009. The new government ministry will be responsible for helping athletes improve athletic performances as well as funding for athletics.

"We had a chance to discuss many topics such as doping, women in sports, and improving the status of athletes. I think it will be very good if the Japanese government became interested in promoting the sports as it is done in many other countries in the world.

"Next on 15 and 16 December I have attended, in Birmingham, England, a throwing conference sponsored by Ron Pickering Fund. I, of course, was in charge of the Hammer Throw.

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