An image recognition apparatus is configured to recognize movements of
players in a sport match or game from contents recording a sport match or
game wherein the players match against each other between domains
partitioned with such an obstacle as net, the image recognition apparatus
including: a picture information obtaining section configured to obtain
picture information containing an image of a movement of at least one of
the players from the contents; a sound information obtaining section 103
configured to obtain sound information generated in synchronism with the
picture information from the contents, the sound information including
information on a hitting sound generated upon hitting of such an
instrument as a ball moving between the domains; a hitting time
information specifying section 105 configured to specify a hitting time
at which the instrument is hit based on the sound information; a rule
information storage section 102 configured to store rule information for
carrying out the sport match or game; and an image substance recognizing
section 106 configured to recognize a substance of an image containing
the image of the movement of the player provided by the picture
information based on the picture information, a position of the
instrument at the specified hitting time and the rule information.