Title: The Truth Behind the Viral Photo of a Canadian Skater Raising Japan’s Flag
Title: The Truth Behind the Viral Photo of a Canadian Skater Raising Japan’s Flag Introduction: A photo recently went viral on social media, showing a medal ceremony during a figure skating competition. In it, a Canadian skater appears to be raising Japan’s flag instead of the Japanese winner. The image sparked a range of reactions—some saw it as controversial, while others praised it as a noble gesture. But what really happened? The Incident: The image was taken during a figure skating championship , specifically during the winners’ podium ceremony. In the center stands Japanese star Yuzuru Hanyu , who won first place. To his right is Canadian skater Stephen Gogolev , who finished third. While Japan's national anthem was being played, Hanyu did not have a Japanese flag in hand—something he is known to forgo in certain competitions. That’s when Gogolev, standing proudly on the third-place podium, respectfully held up the Japanese flag himself. Public Reaction: This gesture ...