Asanoyama's COVID violation suspension and comeback

[pricklypomegranate 730]

I hope to be proven wrong but I'm with @Kintamayama here - intai. 

[Seiyashi 4,109]

3 minutes ago, pricklypomegranate said:

I hope to be proven wrong but I'm with @Kintamayama here - intai. 

Sort of same here. On the bright side, if he isn't forced to retire, it's a pleasant surprise.

@Eikokurai expressed it best though.

Edited May 19, 2021 by Seiyashi

[ViscountessNivlac 36]

I’d say he’s probably out of yokozuna consideration regardless. But I’m also expecting to lose him. It’s a shame he had to go and do that.

[Eikokurai 3,437]

https://imgflip.com/i/5a5clj

[Seiyashi 4,109]

4 minutes ago, Eikokurai said:

https://imgflip.com/i/5a5clj

Funny you should do that on the day we find out Akua fell off a bike and had to have staples...

[ryafuji 825]

I would say his career is over. He is an ozeki, there was the case of Abi not too long ago, and worst of all, he tried to lie his way out of it.

[Kamitsuumi 408]

If I had to make a list of people dumber than Abi, Asanoyama wouldn't have been on it, but he proved me wrong alright. Looking back it's now obvious how much of a favour Shikoroyama did to Abi by finding out before the basho started and forcing him to go kyujo.

[Seiyashi 4,109]

Just now, Kamitsuumi said:

If I had to make a list of people dumber than Abi, Asanoyama wouldn't have been on it, but he proved me wrong alright. Looking back it's now obvious how much of a favour Shikoroyama did to Abi by finding out before the basho started and forcing him to go kyujo.

Speaking of the shisho, I feel very sorry for Takasago that this had to happen to him so soon after he took charge. The odd part is, based on the Nikkan report, Asanoyama was interviewed by Shibatayama and Oguruma yesterday, on the 18th - so some part of the NSK had gotten wind of this before the tabloid went public this afternoon with the allegations. Who in the NSK found out? Did the tabloid give the NSK a heads up courtesy? Or did someone else friendly tip the NSK off about it? Going back to the Abi case, how did Shikoroyama himself find out? Was Abi snitched on by someone in the heya, or what? And come to think of it, doesn't Asanoyama still live in the heya?

The timeline poses more questions than answers. And Takasago is going to be in a very bad crossfire of damned if you do damned if you don't. He's going to be pilloried in the press for lax discipline and various other things which he may or may not have had control over anyway.

[Koorifuu 1,121]

1 hour ago, Seiyashi said:

IF - and this is a big if - Asanoyama is guilty:

Points in favour:
- No prior infractions (Mightyduck)
- "Great Japanese Hope" for yokozuna

Points against:
- Abi makes clear COVID infractions not tolerated (Morning)
- Ryuden's case may make NSK think they need to make an example of someone
- High rankholder and should be setting a good example (PP)
- Apparently lied to Oguruma and Shibatayama in first instance

Any other ideas?

Added above.

Similar to what Kintamayama posted above, my first thought when I read that was Osunaarashi and how the defining factor that got him kicked out was that he lied to oyakata (& the police) until there was solid evidence against him.

[Shinobi Steve 146]

I didn’t follow any news today. This was the first thread I saw when I opened the forum. I’m absolutely gutted. 

[Koorifuu 1,121]

12 minutes ago, Koorifuu said:

Added above.

Similar to what Kintamayama posted above, my first thought when I read that was Osunaarashi and how the defining factor that got him kicked out was that he lied to oyakata (& the police) until there was solid evidence against him.

Quoting myself for clarity;

I do not feel like they'll recommend intai for Asanoyama. Unlike Boody, this is his first known transgression and he's also got that whole nihonjin aspect going for him that the Egyptian & the disgraced Russians/Mongolians didn't.

There will be repercussions, however.

[Tsuchinoninjin 1,291]

21 minutes ago, Koorifuu said:

Quoting myself for clarity;

I do not feel like they'll recommend intai for Asanoyama. Unlike Boody, this is his first known transgression and he's also got that whole nihonjin aspect going for him that the Egyptian & the disgraced Russians/Mongolians didn't.

There will be repercussions, however.

If I could split hairs -

If Asanoyama lied to Shibatayama but the damning evidence came out before Shibatayama did anything maybe its a better situation for Asanoyama.

But Shibatayama already made a statement to media about handling the situation based on Asanoyama's lies. It makes Shibatayama look dumb, which is not good for Asanoyama imo.

edit: Also I just wanted to add that the whole nihonjin thing is a two-way street. There's a lot of things that foreigners get a free pass on that Japanese are expected to adhere to.

Edited May 19, 2021 by Tsuchinoninjin

[Seiyashi 4,109]

8 minutes ago, Koorifuu said:

I do not feel like they'll recommend intai for Asanoyama. Unlike Boody, this is his first known transgression and he's also got that whole nihonjin aspect going for him that the Egyptian & the disgraced Russians/Mongolians didn't.

There will be repercussions, however.

The problem now is, whether or not Asanoyama is going to get mixed signals that it's better for him to jump than be pushed, and whether Asanoyama pays heed to those signals. Harumafuji decided to retire before it was formally recommended to him, especially after a particularly senior supporter intimated that it would be difficult to continue supporting him after such a transgression, even though Isegahama still stood by him and cautioned him not to do anything further that was precipitate. Asanoyama may well in consultation with Takasago and Nishikijima decide to fall on his own sword, as it were, and save whatever shred of dignity he has after this affair broke.

That said, the NSK may yet save him by declining to accept his papers as they did with Abi. On the one hand, they've created space for themselves with the "holding on to papers" precedent. On the other hand, they've also previously made clear they expect a higher standard from the yokozuna and ozeki, so they may well accept it out of hand anyway. Shibatayama and Oguruma in particular will not be happy to defend Asanoyama if at all, after Asanoyama essentially lied to their face yesterday and led them on to defend him in the press today.

EDIT: As Tsuchinoninjin put it.

Edited May 19, 2021 by Seiyashi

[Joaoiyama 318]

Forced intai would be an overkill.

[ryafuji 825]

Report in English from Kyodo News here. (I like how there's a whole paragraph on the fact that he's going to be kadoban next tournament - I think he'll have more to worry about than that.)

[Eikokurai 3,437]

10 minutes ago, ryafuji said:

Report in English from Kyodo News here. (I like how there's a whole paragraph on the fact that he's going to be kadoban next tournament - I think he'll have more to worry about than that.)

Well, if he escapes with a 3-4 basho suspension and no automatic demotion then that kadoban will cost him one tournament’s grace and see him fall further down the banzuke in the time he’s in exile, so it could be a crucial detail depending on how things play out.

Edited May 19, 2021 by Eikokurai

[CT3* 331]

Stunningly stupid actions by Asanoyama. 

[Iwayama 25]

This is incredibly disappointing. I feel gutted that he would do something so irresponsible. What could he have gained from breaking covid rules knowing how serious the consequences would be? It makes no sense...

[Karasukurai 169]

The lying to his superiors is going to cause the biggest issue for Asanoyama - that's not going to go down too well.

My suspicion is that a lot of the people in the sumo world are breaking Covid rules and they all know it - the problem comes when the media catch them doing it. Lying about it just makes it worse, especially if you're high up in the pecking order.

[RabidJohn 2,074]

I skip visiting the forum for one day...

I had him down as being more sensible than this.

[Seiyashi 4,109]

4 minutes ago, RabidJohn said:

I skip visiting the forum for one day...

I had him down as being more sensible than this.

Is it possible to react with half a laughing face and half a sad face?

[Seiyashi 4,109]

3 hours ago, Gurowake said:

My eyes are dilated from an eye appointment so it's tough to read much, but I saw the topic name and thought "When presented with a headline that asks a yes/no question, the answer is almost always ''no'"

Also now given that the answer is actually "Yes" I've removed the question mark.

[Tigerboy1966 1,642]

"Thanks for your invitation, but I really can't go out tonight" How hard is it to say that?

[Nantonoyama 255]

What he did was, obviously, a mistake, and because he was caught he deserves a punishment. I hope it won't be too harsh. Too bad he couldn't secure kachi-koshi.

We are living through tough times and if as a fan I am disappointed to see he leave the tournament, as a man I cannot blame him for wanting to have a bit of fun. 

What is unclear to me is: did he break any laws? Or did he "only" violate NSK guidelines?

[Kishinoyama 625]

Being an Ozeki + lying = big trouble. Of the three Ozeki, prior to Terunofuji's promotion, I thought Asanoyama would be the next Yokozuna. He will be very fortunate to still be in sumo after the next Rijikai. 

Edited May 19, 2021 by Kishinoyama