Wakanohou arrested for drug possession

[Kintamayama 47,309]

Prosecutors often opt for this route after judging the case does not warrant a full court proceeding after considering the character, history, age, background of suspects as well as circumstances and nature of crime despite having enough evidence to prosecute them.

It also happens often when a suspect cuts a deal with the Prosecutors and gives them something they want in return for freedom.

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

While the purist in me wants to agree with Kinta, I wonder...

In the various koenkai, and probably through less official connections as well, the influence of the "underworld" cannot be ruled out. Paradoxically, the drug thing could give them a boost in the bad-boy image department, and set them up for a spin in one of the performing arts orgs that pose as MMA/wrestling.

[Kintamayama 47,309]

As for their visas, they ought to be void immediately, no?

I'm going by what Jonosuke mentioned above (which is from Mainichi, I think) about their visas expiring if they can't find "sumo work" (obviously only the Kyokai could offer such) within three months. I don't think that's too unusual.

Breaking the law tends to make visas expire. Persona non grata-and they are out of here, sumo work or not.

[Jonosuke 28]

I believe if they can find another work, they can renew their working visa. If not, they can extend it as a visitor (though I am not sure if they first need to leave and re-enter). At least Roho and Hakurozan have no criminal record, they should have no trouble re-entering Japan. Wakanoho despite having a criminal record since all the charges were virtually dismissed, his lawyer should be able to find a way to stay in Japan for a while.

Perhaps they can find some work as professional wrestlers but in case of Wakanoho I think he should go back and get a good education back home as he is still young and he has enough money to do so. He had incredible potentials as a rikishi and I still think he has more talent elsewhere so he shouldn't be wasting his money on lawyers and use it wisely.

[Kintamayama 47,309]

I'll tell you what. They know a lot of what goes on behind the scenes in Sumo. Maybe a bit too much. They are in a foul mood. They will be approached by everyone and his sister to write a "tell-all" book and make a lot of money. Their lawyers are already looking for a fight, since that means a lot of money for them. The Kyokai is embroiled in so many court cases at the moment it's not even funny. The Kyokai will not like that. They will be gone very soon.

I stake everything I have-by the end of the month-all three will not be here. If not, I will go on a 6 month exile from the forum.

BTW, does anyone remember my prior promise for self-exile and why? Am I exiled? I forgot what it was all about..

Edited September 8, 2008 by Kintamayama

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

They ain't gonna sing...

[Jonosuke 28]

It also happens often when a suspect cuts a deal with the Prosecutors and gives them something they want in return for freedom.

My understanding is that Japanese prosecutors are going for this particular route for possession of small amount of marijuana quite a bit so Wakanoho is not the first and there was no need to cut any deal though I have no doubt the police wants to know where he got them.

As long as he doesn't commit the same offense in a short while, he is treated as if he has not committed any crime. I seem to recall a singer or actor who had the second offense three years after he was found with marijuana, the prosecutors gave him the same discharge. So while the police remains vigilante, even in Japan, their prosecutors won't bother too much in most cases if the amount is very small.

[Fay 1,677]

BTW, does anyone remember my prior promise for self-exile and why? Am I exiled? I forgot what it was all about..

search is your friend :-S, last time it was only 3 months exile

[sashimaru 10]

I'm going by what Jonosuke mentioned above (which is from Mainichi, I think) about their visas expiring if they can't find "sumo work" (obviously only the Kyokai could offer such) within three months. I don't think that's too unusual.

Perhaps they could offer some help for the drug testing department. :-S

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

Well, if you're legally too young to drink in Japan, you need some way to chill out after a hard workout...

Edited September 8, 2008 by Otokonoyama

[Kintamayama 47,309]

BTW, does anyone remember my prior promise for self-exile and why? Am I exiled? I forgot what it was all about..

search is your friend (Flying a plane...), last time it was only 3 months exile

OK, I'm safe- I said if they stay I will go into exile. So I stay. Good for me.

[Kintamayama 47,309]

As long as he doesn't commit the same offense in a short while, he is treated as if he has not committed any crime. I seem to recall a singer or actor who had the second offense three years after he was found with marijuana, the prosecutors gave him the same discharge.

Was the singer or actor Japanese?

[Kintamayama 47,309]

It also happens often when a suspect cuts a deal with the Prosecutors and gives them something they want in return for freedom.

My understanding is that Japanese prosecutors are going for this particular route for possession of small amount of marijuana quite a bit so Wakanoho is not the first and there was no need to cut any deal though I have no doubt the police wants to know where he got them.

I'm pretty sure they leaned on him heavily and threatened him with a long jail sentence if he doesn't cooperate. He is a young kid in a foreign land with no one to turn to family-wise. He is vulnerable. He is scared for sure. He's in jail. The police (with the the Kyokai) wanted names of rikishi who are using. He gave them the names. He gets released the day they are thrown out. Coincidence? Only Takeshi knows.

[Kintamayama 47,309]

More from the press conference, which finally may shed some light on the darker places.

Q: What made you smoke the pot? (Or in American, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING??)

W: I don't know. I thought maybe I would be allowed to do it a bit. I thought if I was caught, I would apologize and that would be the end of it.. I never thought I'd be dismissed.."

His lawyer said Wakanohou had been smoking pot since he was 14 and he smoked after becoming a rikishi when he returned home for holidays as well.

As for his future, the police will continue to investigate the brothers and their possible connection to Wakanohou drug-wise, and the results of these findings will decide if he will be indicted or not.

Edited September 8, 2008 by Kintamayama

[Asashosakari 20,274]

(The thread has pretty much passed us by already, but since my reasoning wasn't very clear in the previous post...)

If it turns out he's not getting deported/barred from re-entry, I'd actually put the chances at zero plus one epsilon...it's still extremely unlikely, of course, but some type of clemency decision and permission to re-join ozumo before Wakanoho turns 23 wouldn't totally shock me. [snip]

I highly doubt that. It has never happened before, and the new Kyokai will not want to be associated with a pothead, as he will be seen in the public eye. No way. Doing something like that will damage the Kyokai in the public eye seriously. They are toast, and will not be here by the end of the month. (I'd say week, before the basho starts, as that is what usually happens-all obstacles removed before the basho).

I'm mostly thinking back of the Asashoryu incident. It's obviously not totally comparable because he didn't break any laws, but public opinion did seem to shift somewhat in his favour after the suspension was up. I just think it might be possible for Wakanoho's actions to be seen as "being young and stupid" by the public over time and deserving of a second chance, especially if he continues to apologize credibly and emphasizes how much he would like to get back. Being a foreigner might actually work in his favour there.

And with the new administration in, if Musashigawa et al. decide that they need to listen to public opinion more, there could be a perfect storm of sorts to benefit Wakanoho. (If there's one thing that characterized Kitanoumi's tenure, it's that the Kyokai always tried to stay on their own course no matter how loud the criticism got.) I'm not saying it's terribly likely, or that I expect him to be reinstated anytime soon, but, say, two years down the line...who knows?

PS: And having thought about it during the last couple of hours, I actually wouldn't be opposed to allowing retired rikishi to rejoin as long as they're still under 23 altogether, but I realize that's pretty much pipe dream territory (pun not intended).

Edited September 8, 2008 by Asashosakari

[Jonosuke 28]

I saw a clip of Wakanoho's press conference - he looked like a young warrior out of Akira Kurosawa's films.

He was sincerely apologizing to everyone by admitting his guilt and his immaturity in not knowing the gravity of the crime in Japan. He was genuinely showing his desire to return to Ozumo.

But this is obviously not possible as the Ozumo has a bylaw stating those who left the Kyokai for whatever reason cannot return ever.

But still I really feel for him, he is so young still. Unlike Hakuroho bothers, he is coming clean and apologizing to his oyakata, chairman and everyone in Ozumo. If anyone the Kyokai should make an exception, it is Wakanoho. He never received proper guidance nor coaching from anyone as his shisho was away from the heya most of the time. He was all on his own. But he is not making any of these excuses.

I don't care about HakuRo brothers and they can keep on denying whatever they did not do or do to the hell freezes over but I wish there is some way to have Wakanoho return to Ozumo.

[Bealzbob 0]

But still I really feel for him, he is so young still. Unlike Hakuroho bothers, he is coming clean and apologizing to his oyakata, chairman and everyone in Ozumo. If anyone the Kyokai should make an exception, it is Wakanoho. He never received proper guidance nor coaching from anyone as his shisho was away from the heya most of the time. He was all on his own. But he is not making any of these excuses.

I don't care about HakuRo brothers and they can keep on denying whatever they did not do or do to the hell freezes over but I wish there is some way to have Wakanoho return to Ozumo.

Thank you. I thought I was on my own with those sentiments for a good while :/

[Kintamayama 47,309]

I don't care about HakuRo brothers and they can keep on denying whatever they did not do or do to the hell freezes over but I wish there is some way to have Wakanoho return to Ozumo.

Thank you. I thought I was on my own with those sentiments for a good while :/

I think a large majority of us share that sentiment, especially after hearing what he had to say.

Edited September 8, 2008 by Kintamayama

[Toonoryu 1]

I saw a clip of Wakanoho's press conference - he looked like a young warrior out of Akira Kurosawa's films.

He was sincerely apologizing to everyone by admitting his guilt and his immaturity in not knowing the gravity of the crime in Japan. He was genuinely showing his desire to return to Ozumo.

But this is obviously not possible as the Ozumo has a bylaw stating those who left the Kyokai for whatever reason cannot return ever.

But still I really feel for him, he is so young still. Unlike Hakuroho bothers, he is coming clean and apologizing to his oyakata, chairman and everyone in Ozumo. If anyone the Kyokai should make an exception, it is Wakanoho. He never received proper guidance nor coaching from anyone as his shisho was away from the heya most of the time. He was all on his own. But he is not making any of these excuses.

I don't care about HakuRo brothers and they can keep on denying whatever they did not do or do to the hell freezes over but I wish there is some way to have Wakanoho return to Ozumo.

Are you sure there were no exception to this bylaw in the past ? I remember a story you told about a rikishi whose father commited suicide and whose wish was to see his son return to Ozumo after having been fired (can't remember the name of this rikishi)

[Asashosakari 20,274]

Thank you. I thought I was on my own with those sentiments for a good while :/

I think you're misinterpreting people's reactions. Saying "well, that's that" doesn't mean people approve of "that being that", just that they realize there really was just one way this could have ended right from the start. No point in getting outraged except for the feel-good factor. Doesn't mean nobody's feeling bad for the kid.

Are you sure there were no exception to this bylaw in the past ? I remember a story you told about a rikishi whose father commited suicide and whose wish was to see his son return to Ozumo after having been fired (can't remember the name of this rikishi)

Here it was, but that was in the 1930s. Things were a lot more free-wheeling before and shortly after the Tokyo/Osaka merger than they are nowadays. Still, the by-laws aren't exactly put in stone for eternity, and there's a lot of reform pressure now, some of which could lead to unexpected outcomes.

BTW, are these the vaunted by-laws? I stumbled over that link the other day...

[roydrager 0]

Whether a fan likes Wakanoho or not, I think we can agree: if the Kyokai's new mission is to restore public faith and clean up their image, then there is no chance of making an exception for Wakanoho. There is no reason legally, politically, or business-wise to re-admit him. And what Riji in the new environment would take the risk to suggest that? Doing so would "take the teeth away" from any future Kyokai restrictions and stir the ire of the Ministry which will surely be taking an even closer look.

As for my personal opinion, ethically there is no reason to re-admit him either. He may be young and dumb, that does not excuse his actions or protect him from consequences which he should have known. Besides if he was smoking with Roho and Hakurozan, they surely knew and would have told him. Wakanoho was in a privileged position that many would die for, and he squandered it, making lots of money in the process. He deserves zero sympathy. Another gaijin from a poor country deserves his spot.

[aderechelsea 125]

are Roho and Rozan in deep s#$t for smoking weed with a minor? Was this mentioned anywhere ???

anyway ... i am having a blast with this whole situation ... it seems so ridiculous to me the whole fuss about MJ use....

life goes on .. Aki basho is approaching, Kaiho needs to get a quick KK, Hoshihikari and Daiyubu the same and the World Champs are a month away ... Sumo is the best sport there is.

[shimodahito 336]

does anyone know if this is getting any press or TV time in russia?

if so, how much? what's the tone?

-shimodahito

[Kotoseiya Yuichi 3]

Another gaijin from a poor country deserves his spot.

Another rikishi deserves the vacant spot.

[Asashosakari 20,274]

Another gaijin from a poor country deserves his spot.

Another rikishi deserves the vacant spot.

I'd question the logistics of having a non-foreign rikishi fill the foreigner quota, as that's presumably the type of "spot" that roydrager was talking about, not his newly-unoccupied spot in makuuchi.

Edited September 9, 2008 by Asashosakari