Wakanohou arrested for drug possession

[Jonosuke 28]

The fickle and finicky world of media is now turning squarely against Wakanoho. Just yesterday they were describing his demeanor as sincere and gracious, today he is brazen, brash and inconsiderate (just as they suspected all along, another monster from Russia).

"Japan's Police Agency forgave me for my action. Why can't the Kyokai do the same?" Wakanoho demanded without displaying any repentance of his past conduct, reported one service.

"Even if I get penalized, I figured it would be around one or two basho," he angrily said spitting his words, reported another.

Asked if he ever considered the feeling of his shisho, former Yokozuna Wakanohana II, Magaki oyakata,"He is hoping for me to come back to the sumo world. That's the impression. I am now used to the sumo world. I don't want to go to another world," Wakanoho selfishly maintained and repeated his unreasonable demands, reported another.

I can hardly hear what Roho's lawyer Shionoya says now....

[Shomishuu 0]

This whole business is just unbelievable.

Warning: Rant Pending

I can't believe that Wakanoho was so foolish to risk his entire career just to smoke a joint. All the arguments about "it's only pot" and the supposed extreme reaction to it aside, it's against the rules. It's just against the rules, that's all. I mean...Maybe the rules are dumb and maybe they aren't, but that's not the issue. It's against the rules.

I mean, it just shows me that he didn't really comprehend what he's supposed to be ABOUT. Sumo is the strictest meritocracy in the world. You win, you go up. You lose, you go down. Sumo is about honor and discipline. I have been known to rant otherwise, but it's more than a game, and more than a contest. It is the sole remaining vestige of a code of living and a code of being. It is a WAY. It is to confront and make peace with death, and with mortality, and to conquer fear and transcend life and pain and...

The actual bouts are only the show. They are the demonstration of your progress along the WAY. (God, that sounds so hokey, I'm slapping my own face for even saying it...) But it's true.

All three of these guys have been out of step. They smoked pot, and it was against the very nature of what they claim to want to be about. Not because pot was such a horrific thing, but because it was undisciplined, and unworthy to do it. It's base, and it's against the rules. Someone who is actually about what these guys say they are about, does not betray it the way they did.

Now they are threatening to sue? Good Grief, could you manage to betray what you love in order to keep it any more than that? Where is the honor? Where is the dignity? Where is the respect?

I wonder if I am the only one who feels this way? I could kinda respect Wakanoho, because he was genuinely showing some class in the face of his mistakes, and the consequences of his mistakes. He almost went out on his shield, you know? He was doing it right. He apologized, and he bowed, and he faced it like a man. He almost achieved a sort of status of dignity in defeat that he couldn't have any other way.

He could become a fallen angel or a flawed and tough and stoic man, who gritted his teeth and beared with it stoicly and strongly through adversity. I think that could pay off dividends for him far beyond what he could have had in sumo.

I'm not saying it would, but sumo is precarious, and life is shifty. He wasn't ever going to be Richijo, or even continue in sumo as Oyakata in his thirties. But if he just holds the faith, and keeps his hinkaku, he would be forgiven, and have plenty of life left in Japan. Maybe a little bit of making the rounds on cheezy tarento shows, and a little bit of this and that? Pretty soon, a movie and a commercial. A book deal.

Even flawed, a pothead. If he just doesn't betray sumo, and the way he claims to stand for, he could be fine.

But NOOOOO. He says "Wahhhh!!! I'm gonna sue you....It's not fair..." Boohoo. What happened to "I believe in sumo" ? ARRRGHHHH!!! I expected it from the others, because they are nothing but thugs, but him?

Now what's he gonna do? Piss and moan all the way back to Russia? Regret being a whining ..... the rest of his life?

He never did GET it and he doesn't get it now.

(Hit the wall...)

OK, rant over.

Actually, one of the more intelligent and concise rants I think I've seen. Another "Why couldn't I have thoughta that?" moment - of which I have many. (Enjoying a beer...)

[JariM 29]

Yes. I also agree with Iwagakki.

I started to feel sorry for Wakanoho but thats all gone now.

He has now made sure that his days in pro Sumo are over.

[cjung 0]

<snippped>Someone who is actually about what these guys say they are about, does not betray it the way they did.

Now they are threatening to sue? Good Grief, could you manage to betray what you love in order to keep it any more than that? Where is the honor? Where is the dignity? Where is the respect?

I wonder if I am the only one who feels this way? <snipped>

Nice rant! (and I mean that sincerely) You have stated the problem very well. This issue goes beyond what the rikishi did or didn't do. It's about honor, dignity, and respect. I trained in martial arts for over 20 years and had my own dojo. I saw this problem with some aspiring students. There is more to the "art" than the physical side. Rules are rules for a reason, and not always for the most obvious reason. They, too, are a part of training. Again, I don't mean just the physical aspect of training.

When I first began watching sumo, I liked Roho but over the past several basho, I was disappointed in his performance, not just physically, but in the way he always seemed angry or sullen or whatever term fits best. I think his physical sumo suffered in part, because he had not the emotional or spiritual balance to sumo.

cj

[bcingu813 0]

This whole business is just unbelievable.

Warning: Rant Pending

I can't believe that Wakanoho was so foolish to risk his entire career just to smoke a joint. All the arguments about "it's only pot" and the supposed extreme reaction to it aside, it's against the rules. It's just against the rules, that's all. I mean...Maybe the rules are dumb and maybe they aren't, but that's not the issue. It's against the rules.

I mean, it just shows me that he didn't really comprehend what he's supposed to be ABOUT. Sumo is the strictest meritocracy in the world. You win, you go up. You lose, you go down. Sumo is about honor and discipline. I have been known to rant otherwise, but it's more than a game, and more than a contest. It is the sole remaining vestige of a code of living and a code of being. It is a WAY. It is to confront and make peace with death, and with mortality, and to conquer fear and transcend life and pain and...

The actual bouts are only the show. They are the demonstration of your progress along the WAY. (God, that sounds so hokey, I'm slapping my own face for even saying it...) But it's true.

All three of these guys have been out of step. They smoked pot, and it was against the very nature of what they claim to want to be about. Not because pot was such a horrific thing, but because it was undisciplined, and unworthy to do it. It's base, and it's against the rules. Someone who is actually about what these guys say they are about, does not betray it the way they did.

Now they are threatening to sue? Good Grief, could you manage to betray what you love in order to keep it any more than that? Where is the honor? Where is the dignity? Where is the respect?

I wonder if I am the only one who feels this way? I could kinda respect Wakanoho, because he was genuinely showing some class in the face of his mistakes, and the consequences of his mistakes. He almost went out on his shield, you know? He was doing it right. He apologized, and he bowed, and he faced it like a man. He almost achieved a sort of status of dignity in defeat that he couldn't have any other way.

He could become a fallen angel or a flawed and tough and stoic man, who gritted his teeth and beared with it stoicly and strongly through adversity. I think that could pay off dividends for him far beyond what he could have had in sumo.

I'm not saying it would, but sumo is precarious, and life is shifty. He wasn't ever going to be Richijo, or even continue in sumo as Oyakata in his thirties. But if he just holds the faith, and keeps his hinkaku, he would be forgiven, and have plenty of life left in Japan. Maybe a little bit of making the rounds on cheezy tarento shows, and a little bit of this and that? Pretty soon, a movie and a commercial. A book deal.

Even flawed, a pothead. If he just doesn't betray sumo, and the way he claims to stand for, he could be fine.

But NOOOOO. He says "Wahhhh!!! I'm gonna sue you....It's not fair..." Boohoo. What happened to "I believe in sumo" ? ARRRGHHHH!!! I expected it from the others, because they are nothing but thugs, but him?

Now what's he gonna do? Piss and moan all the way back to Russia? Regret being a whining ..... the rest of his life?

He never did GET it and he doesn't get it now.

(Hit the wall...)

OK, rant over.

Wonderful rant!!!!!!!!!!!! I envy your eloquence. You've said everything I was thinking but, didn't quite know how to put into words. (Enjoying a beer...)

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

I suspect Wakanoho, having been without the guidance of an oyakata and heya coach for quite some time, and compensating by relying even more on his Russian pals, is relying on them even more now for advice. Moving into tradjecomedy now.

[Kintamayama 45,527]

Guy on the right: "Give me your money, or I'll 'shoot' (Oh my, how double meaningly clever..)

Wakanohou at his "A Boy named Sue" Press conference:

Shawn unKempt:

Wakanohou: Shall I point out those hairs coming out of his ears??"

Edited September 12, 2008 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 45,527]

The Tokyo District Public Prosecutor's Office has formally announced today that Wakanohou will not be indicted for drug possession. The small amount found, coupled with this being his first offense, coupled with the fact he was a minor at the time of his arrest, prompted them to drop the charges.

What about the platter?

Edited September 12, 2008 by Kintamayama

[Mark Buckton 1]

Here is the story of Sekiwake Tamanoumi Daitaro/Daizaburo, who was kicked out for beating up a rickshaw man (prototype taxi driver (Showing respect...)). He was allowed back in ozumo over nine years later as a makushita tsukedashi.

http://www.sumofanmag.com/content/Issue_19...ishi_of_Old.pdf

mentioned in here - by JK

[Vikanohara 171]

Let me get this straight-- Wakanoho is going to be kicked out of sumo because of ONE SPLIFF found in a lost wallet??? What an absolute joke. What harm has he done to anyone? Absolutely nothing. And his career is over; just like that? What a disgrace. Toyozakura beats a junior around the head with a ladle and gets a paycut for a couple of months, and Wakanoho is expelled??? Can't someone in the Kyokai appply just a bit of common sense? This is a 20 year old kid we're talking about. This really is a tragedy, a complete waste of a promising career.

I feel the same way. I haven't tried drugs myself, but the end of your career because of a small amount of weed, that's just silly.

Certainly if you compare it with Tom Boonen in cycling, for instance. He has used cocaine, and didn't even got suspended. What a difference !

[skycruiser 0]

This whole business is just unbelievable.

But NOOOOO. He says "Wahhhh!!! I'm gonna sue you....It's not fair..." Boohoo. What happened to "I believe in sumo" ? ARRRGHHHH!!! I expected it from the others, because they are nothing but thugs, but him?

Now what's he gonna do? Piss and moan all the way back to Russia? Regret being a whining ..... the rest of his life?

He never did GET it and he doesn't get it now.

Last night, having dinner with some Japanese friends, who are not so

interested about Sumo, I mentioned that Wakanoho, was now going to sue

and trying to get back into ozumo.

When I asked if they thought he could come back and what they thought

about it.

The answers were quick and non equivocal: "Impossible" "Crazy-stupid"

"Why does he just go home quietly" "Has he been smoking something?"

Personally, I think his lawyer will gain notoriety and take as much

money from Wakanoho as he can, knowing Wakanoho can not win that case.

Japan is becoming more litigious but I don't think a lawyer would

have taken that case 20-30 years ago!

Time are a changing...

Chiyonotora

[Manekineko 200]

I just realised - while the brothers and their media hungry lawyer have been a regular feature on the morning shows, there has been not a peep from Wakanoho and his lawyer. Did they drop the suit? Are they negotiating with the Kyokai?

When Wakanoho was first released from prison and expressed his wish to go back to sumo after his apology, I hoped someone in the Kyokai would have brains and initiative enough to organise a meeting with Wakanoho, his lawyer and Magaki-oyakata (if he cared), and presumably some clouty oyakata and other Kyokai-associated people, to discuss Wakanoho's future. I'm not saying they could have taken him back, but they could at least have discussed the options and offer some support for the silly but earnest kid, and thus avoid possible lawsuits, embarrassing press etc.

[James H 0]

Wakanoho told at a press conference on 29th Sept at a Tokyo hotel he was forced to throw matches.

"If you didn't, there was 'kawaigari'" he said.

He also says he is coming clean now because he wants sumo to be clean and beautiful and that "the wrestlers and oyakata who really smoked marijuana haven't been dealt with."

I am sure there is more coming soon, but that is the meat of what he said...

[kame 0]

yah, saw that on TV. it sounds serious but the big question is, how can we believe him? he's lied his ass off in the past, he's desperate and after seeing the many faces he's shown lately i don't really trust him one bit. of course, he was forced to throw the matches. if he wasn't he would've wrecked makuuchi. with his sumo. right?

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

Brief snippet at Kyodo News:

http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstStory/i...?storyid=401501

Breitbart.com claims he will act as a witness for Shukan Gendai in the NSK lawsuit against the mag...

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9...=1&catnum=0

Edited September 29, 2008 by Otokonoyama

[Jakusotsu 6,049]

So he decided to turn the question about a possible rejoin from moot to impossible. I wonder what he hopes to gain by this disservice.

[Manekineko 200]

This is exactly what I was afraid of... Left afloat without Kyokai support and a lawyer was a recipe for trouble, with all sorts of insider knowledge he's now free to divulge. And there is no way to tell how much of what he says is true or based on truth, unless he possesses some material proofs. I don't need to tell you how unlikely that is, regardless of truthfulness of his claims.

[Kintamayama 45,527]

Of course this was expected and more and worse will come from the brothers. But sumo survived worse. Two Oyakatas who had just openly admitted that yaocho existed dying in the span of 24 hours come to mind. In the public eye this is a foreign, self-confessed pothead venting his frustration and looking for a fast buck. I'm pretty sure he won't be given much credit.

That said, yaocho (though I doubt money changes hands nowadays..) and pot-smoking among the rikishi probably does exist. In an organization of 1000 members, there's bound to be some hanky-panky.

I do wonder if they will bring up steroid abuse, as that may act as a boomerang, but one thing is for sure-it's going to be an exciting between bashos for a change.

[Kaikitsune Makoto 209]

Hope this blows up into full scale turmoil. Yaocho is the most despicable detail in sumo in my opinion. Beating a deshi to death is just violent youngsters without control and even under orders to cause severe pain (and hence not organized in bigger scale even though naturally very condemnable action), steroids and all are at anyone's disposal and so on. Yaocho is a spit on the faces of fans and the idealism of any sport. There is all sort crap about possible reasons for yaocho like "seniority", "when you get older, things happen and it is just life", "why go all out when opponent has much more at stake". All those are really sad reasons. In ideal sumo world seniority on the dohyo means that younger rikishi does all he can do respect the older rikishi by offering all he has against the old man, old rikishi in general are put to retirement with aggressive sumo without mercy and 7-7 rikishi (and ozeki in particular) must all be punished for not having better record on senshuuraku. Sumo world is not ideal, far from it I bet. Still yaocho claims are good as they grind into the core of the most disgusting part of sumo. Of course big reason would be money. Rikishi are undoubtedly greedy as are most athletes. They want to have a lot of money. If yaocho offers a chance to have more money, why not do that if one has no strong principles of maintaining dohyo a sacred place where one must never slack off and always try to beat the opponent.

While not yaocho as such, half hearted koen bouts in Mongolia got deserved criticism from some Mongolian viewers. If you go there, you could have the courtesy of showing real sumo and not some half-hearted piece of shit show. Evidently jungyo tournaments in Japan don't receive such critizism though despite the same stupid pipi-avoiding sumo and so. Well I guess people like those tournaments too then even with the crap the rikishi show there.

One thing I wonder about Wakanoho. Who exactly would have given him that kawaigari treatment when he was sekitori since he didn't have any stablemates as sekitori? Ichimon sekitori?

Oozumo may be rotten to the core as one formerly active sumoforum member said after the killed deshi thing and vanished from forum and if so, it would be nice to see the oyakata pay for this the ultimate price of total humiliation and loss of reputation.

Corruption is human nature. Corruption is done because it gives benefits. Of course closed clique like Kyokai is riddled with corruption. There is not much sumodou or integrity that can overcome such a setting as Kyokai has with old men in closed circle with lot of hierarchial puppet shows. Still corruption must be killed and corrupted people must be punished. Just like violence is human nature and is not accepted, corruption must be fought too well.

I doubt too there is any evidence supporting Wakanoho's claims but attack towards Kyokai is good for the future of sumo. Attack Kyokai with all possible ways and try to destroy it and maybe it brings some good stuff too for the future. Sumo wrestling is still a very good thing.

[sekihiryu 51]

It's all over the TV tonight, most stations. He directly implicated Asashoryu.

What did the NSK really expect? for him to do the 'bushido way' and sink silently into the night (well Bushido in modern sense anyway).

As Manekiniko said, young, completely abandoned , career shattered cast a drift and picked up by a passing vulture.

Not at all smart by the NSK, though it well documented that the brains trust of the NSK is noticeably lacking in brains, plenty of old brawn but not too many brains.

[Asashosakari 19,655]

Not at all smart by the NSK, though it well documented that the brains trust of the NSK is noticeably lacking in brains, plenty of old brawn but not too many brains.

Pray tell, what else should they have done with Wakanoho after he was arrested and admitted to a drug felony? Not fired him? Still gone through with the firing and then done...what? Paid him off to disappear, sent Kitanoumi's alleged yakuza contacts after him, employed the Onaruto solution? You're always awfully quick with the "they're all a big bunch of doofuses" griping (I guess that's just your thing, as evidenced from that poll you started elsewhere), but I rarely see you offer any constructive alternatives.

[Kintamayama 45,527]

Wakanohou's lawyer is saying his press conference was like " a bolt from the sky", and said he had no idea he was going to say he was part of any yaocho. "I knew nothing of this interview. In all of our conversations, this yaocho stuff was never mentioned. Maybe he mistakenly thinks this way will give him some advantage in his quest for the Kyokai to have him back through litigation. I'll try to find out how this happened" he said.

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

The kind folks at Japan Probe have embedded a video of the press conference.

[Jonosuke 28]

I personally think Wakanoho needed a bit of pocket money from the Weekly Shukan Gendai and possibly he figured if he showed he was willing to make it ugly for their yaocho case, the Kyokai might give him a break.

He has proven himself to lack sound judgments up to now and this just solidifies it. The Kyokai lawyer will shred him as unreliable witness already arrested for possession of illegal substance and being dismissed by the Kyokai so he is just doing this for spite. Especially considering his lack of Japanese language ability, he will be hopeless as a witness.

So why will the Shukan Gendai decide to bring him in? Not because of the court case as he won't help them a bit but to sell more magazines. Any controversies they can generate for anything will help sell their trash to their equally trashy middle aged going nowhere salarymen readers.

Wakanoho will be worse off than even now after this as he shows he has no credibility at all on anything he says.

[ilovesumo 12]

Exactly.