{
  "id": 10650038,
  "title": "Socks from Japan's FamilyMart convenience store save Uzbek volleyball team at Asian Games",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/socks-from-japans-familymart-convenience-store-save-uzbek-volleyball",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-29T08:42:23.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Mainichi",
    "slug": "the-mainichi",
    "url": "https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260929/p2a/00m/0sp/022000c"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Socks worn by Uzbekistan volleyball players during a match against Japan at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on September 27 caught the attention of social media. The socks featured three green and blue stripes and seemed to be a product sold by the Japanese convenience store chain FamilyMart. The following day, this reporter asked Uzbekistan team members about the socks. Libero Shakhzod Omonov and setter Mirziyod Murodov, who had worn the socks, confirmed they were indeed bought at FamilyMart. The players had been unaware of the rule that all players on a team must wear socks of the same color and length during the six-a-side volleyball match. They had brought socks of varying colors and lengths, and finding matching socks within a limited time in a foreign country proved challenging. The Uzbekistan team was staying at a hotel near a FamilyMart, and the store conveniently sold the required socks, averting a potential crisis. The team, which had little experience competing in major international tournaments, never expected to face such a problem at the Asian Games. They are a fledgling team, participating in their second tournament at such a high level. Omonov expressed gratitude for the FamilyMart socks, noting that their colors matched the national flag, looked cute, and were of good quality and comfort. FamilyMart's public relations department commented on being \"extremely pleased and proud\" that their Line Socks were worn at such a prestigious event. The accessibility of Japan's widely praised convenience stores helped athletes compete on the international stage.",
  "summary": "NAGOYA -- \"Could those be FamilyMart socks?\"Socks worn by Uzbekistan players during the men's volleyball preliminary-round match against Japan at the",
  "key_points": [
    "Uzbek volleyball team faces color mismatch issue during Asian Games match",
    "Libero and setter confirm socks purchased from FamilyMart convenience store",
    "FamilyMart pleased socks worn by athletes at prestigious international event"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Wrong venue again: S. Korea volleyball team loses training after Asian Games bus blunder",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/wrong-venue-again-s-korea-volleyball-team-loses-training-after-asian",
        "published": "2026-09-29T08:29:48.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Kunlavut first Thai man to win Asian Games badminton singles gold",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/kunlavut-first-thai-man-to-win-asian-games-badminton-singles-gold",
        "published": "2026-09-29T11:03:44.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}