Kotomitsuki accused of gambling- dismissed from Sumo

[Asashosakari 20,273]

Would you prefer some Japanese articles?

http://www.chugoku-np.co.jp/News/Sp201007040158.html

http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/sumo/ne...704-649256.html

http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=spo_30&k=2010070400049

None of those affirm the Kyodo blurb's view that the Kyokai "has decided" on any measures yesterday*, just that this is what the authors consider to be the likely course of events. (And other papers reporting something different also consider their views likely to be correct - funny how that works with rumours.) For the sorely needed context, best supplied in the Nikkan article, and elsewhere mentioned by Kinta: In a Saturday meeting the Kyokai guys determined what they would like to see decided today, which is somewhat at odds with what they're being pressured to decide, and it's anybody's guess what's actually going to go down in a few hours.

* Heck, I'm sure even the original Japanese version at Kyodo took care to maintain the distinction between fact and educated guess, which is exactly why I consider the English version to be junk.

Edited July 4, 2010 by Asashosakari

[Peterao 3]

If the article has its facts wrong, that is not Otokonoyama's problem. He, and the article, are not asserting that this will happen, but that that is what JSA officials were quoted as saying.

Is it possible that the site is in a different time zone, and that their Saturday is Japan's Sunday morning?

[Asashosakari 20,273]

If the article has its facts wrong, that is not Otokonoyama's problem.

Doesn't absolve him from providing needed context or at least pointing out that the article is (clearly!) overstepping the bounds of what can be considered to be facts at this point. He didn't provide that disclaimer, so I did. I guess next time I'll just leave bogus and potentially misleading information stand, I'm sure that's really going to enhance the forum.

Edited July 4, 2010 by Asashosakari

[Peterao 3]

What is being reported is also part of the story, regardless of the content or contextt. I'm sure that nearly everybody on here is smart enough to digest the information for themselves without you spoon feeding them.

[Asashosakari 20,273]

Show of hands, how many people read (while specifically waiting for breaking news!)

The Japan Sumo Association has decided to stop short of giving ozeki Kotomitsuki and stablemaster Otake the most severe sentence of expulsion without severance pay, senior JSA officials said Saturday. The two central figures in sumo

Edited July 4, 2010 by Asashosakari

[Peterao 3]

NHK reports that what Otokonoyama insisted on telling us over some people's objections was in fact perfectly true. And that Kotoviki's rumormongering was not.

[Kotoviki 16]

I'm sure the Ministry will be delighted to see the Kyokai cover Kotomitsuki and Otake's gambling debts with their tax-free income.

I guess they will likely be mad, I wonder if they will say anything about it publicly?

I'm almost certain that Otake "knew" by taking the fall (which was surely something the others told him to do..) that he would get severance pay then. This does seem very Japanese for them to promise him they will take care of him if he would try to take the pressure off of the others in the media spotlight!

[Kotoviki 16]

NHK reports that what Otokonoyama insisted on telling us over some people's objections was in fact perfectly true. And that Kotoviki's rumormongering was not.

Like I said someone just sent me that information. They all know I follow sumo. Many Japanese obviously believe what they read even if it is before it is official...

[shoutenzan 0]

Looks like Kotomitsuki is gone. Oh well. There are many wonderful rikishi still in sumo.

[Asashosakari 20,273]

NHK reports that what Otokonoyama insisted on telling us over some people's objections was in fact perfectly true. And that Kotoviki's rumormongering was not.

You were saying?

The Japan Sumo Association has decided to stop short of giving ozeki Kotomitsuki and stablemaster Otake the most severe sentence of expulsion without severance pay, senior JSA officials said Saturday. The two central figures in sumo

[Peterao 3]

Whatever.

One thing that we can agree on is that this board needs a way to block certain people's messages from appearing.

[Harry 67]

Apologies if this one has been posted already:

http://sports.yahoo.co.jp/sumo/news/show/2...0000077-jij-spo

[Jonosuke 28]

While many of us read and hear news reports, we need to be aware that they are reporting on-going stories and their source may not be as reliable.

Otake won't get a severance pay. And for those who may recall the previous Tokitsukaze oyakata case, the Kyokai revised their by-law so that they can reduce or even not pay any severance pay at all. While Kotomtsuki gets some amount of money for leaving the Kyokai, the money is what he earned himself during his active days by either getting kachikoshi, winning sanshos and some kensho money the Kyokai was holding. It isn't really right to say he was getting a money for his service as the money he is getting is what every sekitori gets upon his retirement and not for service to the Kyokai. I'd imagine Kotomitsuki will have a right to get a Kyokai pension as well while Otake may not if he gets jomei'ed.

Edited July 4, 2010 by Jonosuke

[Asashosakari 20,273]

While Kotomtsuki gets some amount of money for leaving the Kyokai, the money is what he earned himself during his active days by either getting kachikoshi, winning sanshos and some kensho money the Kyokai was holding.

That money may exist as well, but the articles are specifically talking about 養老金 and 勤続加算金 which are tied directly to career-high rank and career length. Nothing to do with kensho money etc. possibly held in escrow, since the payout structure is exactly the same for every rikishi, whether they're Takamisakari or Kasuganishiki.

[Kintamayama 47,304]

Estimated severance pay- 26 million yen - nearly covers the blackmail money he allegedly paid..

[Asashosakari 20,273]

Estimated severance pay- 26 million yen

And as I half-way suspected in another thread earlier, they're now already floating the possibility that this sum will be further reduced as well.

(I guess they did put those reduction regulations on the books after all...)

[Kintamayama 47,304]

Coddled

"Sources say the current Sadogatake coach (former wrestler Kotonowaka) was always looking out for the ozeki so that he would not become a victim to bullying".

Read all about it.

Edited July 5, 2010 by Kintamayama

[Barang 0]

After Cambodia Daily articles even Finnish newspaper Pravda (the Truth or by local language Helsingin Sanomat) has takes a bold step to tell earth breaking news about evil Kotomitsuki gambling habits. Pravda

[Kaikitsune Makoto 210]

After Cambodia Daily articles even Finnish newspaper Pravda (the Truth or by local language Helsingin Sanomat) has takes a bold step to tell earth breaking news about evil Kotomitsuki gambling habits. Pravda

And what is interesting is that the quoted news article is the 2nd most read article on that newspaper's web version today. The last paragraph bluntly says "Popularity of sumo has been decreased by various revelations like drug use of sumo wrestlers, rigged bouts, in May it was told that gangsters were regularly sold front row seats.

Pravda has nothing to do with this Finnish newspaper though.

[Chinonofuji 35]

Not sure if this has been posted already, but even the New York Times seems to be reporting on these developments.

[Kintamayama 47,304]

Now, after the math and the "dawning of a new day in sumo", for those of us that think 'cleaning up sumo" is the agenda, a few thoughts. This all started from a tabloid weekly article, which was denied at first by everyone. But as this had non- active sumo people involved as well (as opposed to, say, the yaocho allegations where no one external was willing to come forward and testify) the truth surfaced. Then, the Kyokai promised immunity to those that came forward, and the gullible 10% came forward, only to be punished, contrary to what was promised. Yes, in the meantime the investigative body had changed from the Kyokai to the external committee, but the members of this new committee were also outside members of the Kyokai. I'm sure some really wily and cool-headed rikishi who gambled did not admit to any sort of gambling, and no serious investigation was carried out-the Kyokai simply relied on the rikishi's word. One of the committee members declared today that he knows that a lot of rikishi "were not straightforward" and that he hoped the police will do their best to carry out a swift, deep probe into this. I bet most if not all rikishi were involved in some form of friendly betting (totally understandable to me) or serious baseball gambling, but will not come forward as they can see that the Kyokai's "word" isn't worth the ice it's written on. The simple reason is that this form of social betting (I am referring to cards and mahjong) was the norm and the funnest way to wile away those boring hours at jungyos and at the heya. Suddenly, someone decided that this harmless norm was illegal, sending everyone scrambling. I do understand the difference between baseball gambling and the harmless gambling on small sums which was rampant. Still, I don't believe this is the issue. I think the issue was quickly embraced by the Kyokai as well because there are other, much more significant issues lurking in the darkness. It's like the police finding your marijuana stash when your coke stash is in the cupboard in the other room - you would very quickly admit your guilt in hope their search of the premises ends there (Disclaimer- doing drugs is illegal and may cause you grievous bodily harm). The significance of being arrested for one is very different from the other.

I just think this is one small and extra-skinny skeleton in the Kyokai's closet. I don't have any proof or inside information whatsoever, just my animal instinct and the fact that something about the whole procedure we have just witnessed seems very wrong to me, something akin to looking for a lost coin under the lamppost.

Edited July 6, 2010 by Kintamayama

[Sokkenaiyama 81]

Mr. D, why so serious?

[Kintamayama 47,304]

Mr. D, why so serious?

I guess it really pisses me off, this hypocrisy.. We are very touchy when it comes to blatant hypocrisy..

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

I think the issue was quickly embraced by the Kyokai as well because there are other, much more significant issues lurking in the darkness. It's like the police finding your marijuana stash when your coke stash is in the cupboard in the other room - you would very quickly admit your guilt in hope their search of the premises ends there (Disclaimer- doing drugs is illegal and may cause you grievous bodily harm). The significance of being arrested for one is very different from the other.

I just think this is one small and extra-skinny skeleton in the Kyokai's closet. I don't have any proof or inside information whatsoever, just my animal instinct and the fact that something about the whole procedure we have just witnessed seems very wrong to me, something akin to looking for a lost coin under the lamppost.

But, in Japan, mary jane is just as bad as the nose candy, or the shabu that Nori-p was into recently.

[Randomitsuki 2,900]

I didn't know until five minutes ago that Japanese baseball had its own "illegal baseball betting" scandal some 40 years ago. Here is a Wikipedia link. Yakuza ties, betting on other sports, suspensions, stern warnings by the commissioners - all this sounds quite familiar.