Akira Kuroiwa

Akira Kuroiwa (born 6 September 1961) is a former speed skater from Japan who represented his native country at two consecutive Winter Olympics, starting in 1984 in Sarajevo. He finished 10th in the men's 500 metres there and won the bronze medal in the same event at the 1988 Games, after capturing two world titles at the Sprints Championships in 1983 and 1987. Born in Tsumagoi in Gunma Prefecture, he later coached the Japanese team at the 1998 Winter Olympics. In 2000 he made headlines in Japan when he tried to shield the baseball pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka from an illegal driving charge by taking the blame himself.