Kitanoumi resigns, the brothers are out

[sekihiryu 51]

anyone here familiar with the song by Afroman - "Because I got high?" the anthem for stoners.

Video

watch it, its a classic. but a tad NSFW

I made a few new lines for our Ossetian outcasts, who despite their best efforts could not dodge this issue with the patented "shuffle" I am going to miss complaining about them and their shuffle, sumo needs villians.

anyway, here are a few more lines of "because I got high! especiall for the Shufflers.

I was going to go to keiko but I got high

I wasn't going henka before I got high

now I'll never be Ozeki and I know why

- cause I got high, cause I got high, cause I got high

I threw way my whole career because I got high

I have nothing to look forward too coz I got high

now I going back to Ossetia and I know why

- cause I got high, cause I got high, cause I got high...

Adieu, Adieu. Parting is such sweet sorrow.

Sayonara boys.

[Jonosuke 28]

Actually Kitanoumi had no choice whatever about resigning after uttering he would if Hakurozan's result proved positive. The only thing stopping him was Hakurozan's insistence that the testing would be done elsewhere as he insisted he has never done it and as his shisho he felt he had to believe it.

After the second test came back, there was simply no question of the result - clearly devastating to him possibly sensing his recruit was lying to him.

But aside from this, the public and other Kyokai members were demanding him to step down. In each of the problems the Kyokai faced in the last couple of years, each time he refused to step down from his chairman post, stating it was *not* his problem but the one between a shisho and his recruit.

If something happened, the shisho must take the full responsibility, he said. So he had no choice facing the Hakurozan issue. The result was positive and he was his shisho. If he did not, neither the public nor Kyokai members would have accepted his wish to remain.

In face most commentators are saying today it was too late.

Edited September 8, 2008 by Jonosuke

[Jonosuke 28]

According to reports Roho was so agitated after learning his dismissal and he remained quite agitated even after returning to Otake Beya.

The Heya's lawyer said Roho kept screaming, "I have never done it. I can't understand it. I want them to explain to me again".

Otake oyakata did his best to calm him down by apologizing to him by saying, "I　feel deeply sorry for you. But there is nothing more I can do for you now. I am really sorry."

The oyakata and Roho talked about his future but they were not able to come to any conclusion.

[sekihiryu 51]

Editorial in the Yomiuri

the last sentence stands out for me.

"The JSA should conduct drugs checks on wrestlers of all levels as necessary. Dispelling suspicions of rampant drug use in the sumo world is an important place to start if the JSA is to regain trust."

dispelling rampant drug use in the sumo world? who is this chump? does he have any clue what so ever?

What does he define as drug? based on the content of the piece it seems it's a bit of weed? because phew! thank goodness those nasty Russians have been "weeded out". Yes lets drug test all the the wrestlers for Marijuana and possibly worse cocaine and other nasty recreational drugs.

Or does he mean the other kind of drugs! - "sports drug" , that is quite a can of worms which his piece failed to really allude too at all. Yes lets see what happens when every wrestler gets a thorough drug test, testing for performance enhancing substances and lets see what the media has to say if anyone fails one of those, worse than a bit of weed? will they be kicked out in shame? how do steroids slot in, in the scale compared to Marijuana?. hmm.

Be careful what you wish for you just might get it.

I have feeling that the really beefed up sekitori aren't going to be looking so beefed up in the coming year, they have all seen the consequences coupled with the looming implementation of thorough drug testing, they will be flushing away anything "dodgy". Well we would hope so anyway.

Olympic athletes still seem to think they can beat the system.....

Overall a typical knee-jerk reaction from a twit journalist.

[Bealzbob 0]

So has this worst-case scenario plunged the Aki basho into turmoil or will we just see more juryo rikishi in the makuuchi torikumi from day to day ? :-S

[Asashosakari 16,980]

So has this worst-case scenario plunged the Aki basho into turmoil or will we just see more juryo rikishi in the makuuchi torikumi from day to day ? :-S

Less, actually...with only Wakanoho gone we'd have seen a daily call-up, with both 'noho and Roho out they'll probably just do 20 bouts instead.

[Bealzbob 0]

So it'll be the same then. 39 rikishi requiring 1 daily promotion instead of 41 rikishi requiring 1 daily promotion. But it's definitely going ahead... that's good.

[Asojima 2,839]

So it'll be the same then. 39 rikishi requiring 1 daily promotion instead of 41 rikishi requiring 1 daily promotion. But it's definitely going ahead... that's good.

40 makuuchi rikishi. Hakurozan was in juryo.

[Bealzbob 0]

Doh!! Sorry :-S

[roydrager 0]

Roho and Wakanoho displayed disgraceful behavior both on and off the dohyo, despite repeated warnings. It indicates a deeply entrenched bad attitude. Fascinating and satisfying that their mentality eventually led to their own demise. Hakurozan I do not lump in with those two, since he was not known for anything worse than henka prior to this scandal.

[Asashosakari 16,980]

Vaguely creepy pic at Mainichi (Osaka, Kita-ku, Hankyu Umeda train station):

[Harry 67]

What's creepy? The "BIG MAN" thing? He's just saying he's really sorry.

[Feginowaka 53]

To be honest, it's not a big loss for Ozumo without Roho/Hakurozan.

Have they been something special? Except from doing henkas....

Sure, the achievement of Makuuchi-promotion is great for every Sumotori.

But what were the prospects for them?

They were quite limited in their abilities and there was not much more to be expected.

For me (if I watched Sumo, which I didn't for several months...) Sumo would be more interesting without them.

Personally, I think a punishment like a 3-basho-ban would have been more adequate.

I still believe (am I too credulous?) that they are innocent and I would understand every reaction of them, no matter what it is.

[Jonosuke 28]

Vaguely creepy pic at Mainichi (Osaka, Kita-ku, Hankyu Umeda train station):

It's been reported despite all the stories prior to the Directors meeting, initially at the start of meeting, all Kitanoumi oyakata said was, "I'd like to vacate my seat temporarily until my recruit, Hakurozan's full results are determined."

All sixteen oyakata who were present turned completely silent and glared at Kitanoumi. Then some started speaking. "You are not serious, right. I doubt anyone will accept this, unless you are ill or something", "The numbers speak for themselves. We now have incontrovertible scientific evidence backing us up. Are you saying we should ignore the numbers completely?"

Kitanoumi oyakata finally relented, "I understood. If that is the case then I will step down." He realized that there was no one left even within the Kyokai tops to offer an helping hand.

"Now I am really relieved. See my face. You know I am laughing now," Kitanoumi oyakata said at his press conference today.

[Kintamayama 41,287]

Curse on those three idiots and what they've done to sumo.

I think after all we've been discussing and all the words and semantics and explanations, this sums up the whole shebang very, very aptly.

(Flying a plane...)

[Takanobaka 0]

Damn those stupid brothers. They did things the worst way.

Why blame the brothers? If NSK hadn't been patently dumb in its publicity of the matter, most of this could be avoided. As far as I'm concerned, none of us should have known anything about this until there was a definitive conclusion one way or the other. At that point, kick out the offenders, never publicise the people who got cleared, and leadership takes a little egg on the face while being lauded for taking steps to fix a perceived problem. This scandal has arisen in numerous sports in recent years, and there's already a clear blueprint on how to handle it while being exposed to minimal damage. Not only did NSK not follow that blueprint, but they followed the worst blueprint possible. I'm not going to say that leadership deserved this, but this resignation is a result of Kitanoumi's inability to handle the media as much as it's because of the three disgraced rikishi.

Edited September 8, 2008 by Takanobaka

[Yuriyama Ren 1]

Man, Rohou is pretty mad in this phone interview to NNN.

Somewhat loose translation from Russian:

They wanted to get rid of the current president and they got what they wanted. The next president, Musashigawa and his supporters, they're the ones behind this. I am going to demand until the very end that the association apologize to me. And even if they do apologize (well not if, they'll have to), if they say: "Well, our bad, you can come back now" I am not going to. Because this is a dirty association. I don't mean everybody. The current president, Kitanoumi is an honest man. And so is my trainer.

[Kintamayama 41,287]

They wanted to get rid of the current president and they got what they wanted. The next president, Musashigawa and his supporters, they're the ones behind this. I am going to demand until the very end that the association apologize to me. And even if they do apologize (well not if, they'll have to), if they say: "Well, our bad, you can come back now" I am not going to. Because this is a dirty association. I don't mean everybody. The current president, Kitanoumi is an honest man. And so is my trainer.

And here we go.. this is just the beginning. It's going to be a fun time until the basho starts.

[Jonosuke 28]

Not only Roho apparently admitted to one of the oyakata who was at the testing room (on condition that his oyakata was not informed) that he got marijuana from a black singer during the LA Jungyo but now his lawyer attributing to Roho is saying there was another rikishi, Juryo and Japanese, who had his test proved positive in his first try. Apparently he was let go after his second test showed negative.

Since it was Roho telling, no one is sure which drug it turned positive first. Someone in 2Ch speculated it was Wakakirin.

Incidentally Roho was asked about his comment made to the oyakata yesterday at the Prevention Committee but he fudged it by saying he only understands 80% Japanese and he doesn't remember making such a comment.

Edit: Now that Hakuroho brothers getting marijuana during the LA Jungyo are making rounds even in national papers.

Edited September 8, 2008 by Jonosuke

[Kintamayama 41,287]

Rohou's militant lawyer Mr. Shouyuu, who says he wants to help Rohou see this through;

New boss, old boss, next boss?:

Edited September 8, 2008 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 41,287]

I don't know if this was mentioned, but Rohou had 5 times more than the allowed 'cannabis component' while Hakurozan had 10 times the amount which OOnishi said shows they must have smoked 2-3 days before the tests.

[Skotkotaikai 2]

Damn those stupid brothers. They did things the worst way.

Why blame the brothers? If NSK hadn't been patently dumb in its publicity of the matter, most of this could be avoided. As far as I'm concerned, none of us should have known anything about this until there was a definitive conclusion one way or the other. At that point, kick out the offenders, never publicise the people who got cleared, and leadership takes a little egg on the face while being lauded for taking steps to fix a perceived problem. This scandal has arisen in numerous sports in recent years, and there's already a clear blueprint on how to handle it while being exposed to minimal damage. Not only did NSK not follow that blueprint, but they followed the worst blueprint possible. I'm not going to say that leadership deserved this, but this resignation is a result of Kitanoumi's inability to handle the media as much as it's because of the three disgraced rikishi.

Don't forget Wakanoho and the brothers started this. They are the main reason for all of this happening. Well, they didn't have much choice of action tbh. Admit smoking marijuana or not. They chose to claim innocent, Kitanoumi said he believes them and you see what happened at the end.

I also think NSK couldn't keep this secret. What if someone of them wanted to make things public in order to provoke some resignations?

If there wasn't Wakanoho's incident they could hide things till everything becomes clear but now... Everyone was expecting doping probes and all eyes were pointed at the brothers. Doubt NSK could keep silence.

[Asashosakari 16,980]

As far as I'm concerned, none of us should have known anything about this until there was a definitive conclusion one way or the other. At that point, kick out the offenders, never publicise the people who got cleared, and leadership takes a little egg on the face while being lauded for taking steps to fix a perceived problem.

How realistic is that? Do you honestly think Hakurozan and Roho would have kept quiet during such proceedings, considering all the dirt they've actually kicked up in the last week? And even now they're disputing that a definitive conclusion has actually been reached!

In any case, the jig was up as soon as a) it became known that (first-ever!) drug tests were being administered on September 2nd (impossible to keep quiet with 69 testing subjects), and b) the brothers had to stay around the rikishi-kai meeting place longer than the other 67 rikishi. That last part could have been avoided, I suppose, but if you honestly think all the necessary follow-up could have been done quietly, I have a bridge to sell you. It was a big news story even independent of the actual test results - somebody would have kept digging for sure. The reason doping tests can be administered and analyzed in relative tranquillity in other sports is that they're so commonplace and there's no point in sending reporters every time one occurs. That may ultimately become the case in sumo as well, but not this time around.

Edited September 8, 2008 by Asashosakari

[Asashosakari 16,980]

I don't know if this was mentioned, but Rohou had 5 times more than the allowed 'cannabis component' while Hakurozan had 10 times the amount which OOnishi said shows they must have smoked 2-3 days before the tests.

Yep, see above.

[Manekineko 200]

Not really significant to this thread, but it does belong... During the press conference, Kokonoe-oyakata was reading some statement - and wore glasses! Waaa! Looks good on him, but then, anything does.