Asanoyama's COVID violation suspension and comeback

[Ripe 73]

Another question to consider... regardless of what the punishment will be, he will loose his rank. Are we certain they will repromote him? That 33-over-3 is a guideline, but one that is not always followed. I can see them denying him promotion unless he pretty much force their hand with something like 35-36 wins over 3 basho with at least one win and two runner ups...

[Seiyashi 4,108]

14 minutes ago, Churaumi said:

Does anyone here know if any scandal-ridden rikishi have become oyakata lately? I guess Arashio oyakata might count.

Lately? Arashio's the only one, but as someone else already pointed out, on paper his record is spotless since the NSK didn't manage to make the yaocho accusation stick properly. 

Other than that, Tomozuna had had a run in with the NSK over the driving, and so did Sendagawa, but no one else in recent memory. Takekuma was also suspended over the baseball betting, but all of those were minor 1-basho suspensions.

Edited May 21, 2021 by Seiyashi

[Churaumi 745]

To the limits of my limited knowledge, none of them lied about doing what they did.

[Kintamayama 45,527]

1 hour ago, Asojima said:

FWIW, Terunofuji fought his way back from roughly the equivalent of an 8 basho layoff.  Not the same guy, but Asanoyama may have the wherewithal to come back from a 3-4 basho drop.  I don't think he will get his ozeki back, and that might be his downfall/decision maker.  Fighting his way back to mid-makuuchi or better would let him stay in the kyokai if that is his option.

 

I think there is a huge difference between getting injured and falling and falling in disgrace.

[Asojima 2,874]

13 minutes ago, Kintamayama said:

I think there is a huge difference between getting injured and falling and falling in disgrace.

Disgrace only lasts for about 1 year.  Injuries can be permanent.  

[Kintamayama 45,527]

22 minutes ago, Asojima said:

Disgrace only lasts for about 1 year.  Injuries can be permanent.  

Not in this case. We'll see how this pans out. Disgrace usually is very permanent, if the disgraced gives a hoot. If he doesn't, well, it doesn't matter. I think in this case,  it's the former.

[Seiyashi 4,108]

11 minutes ago, Kintamayama said:

35 minutes ago, Asojima said:

Disgrace only lasts for about 1 year.  Injuries can be permanent.  

Not in this case. We'll see how this pans out. Disgrace usually is very permanent, if the disgraced gives a hoot. If he doesn't, well, it doesn't matter. I think in this case,  it's the former.

Out of curiosity, what makes you say that Asanoyama won't have the spine to climb back up to sekitori if he is suspended long enough to drop to the unsalaried ranks? Is it the way he's handled the expectations on him to be yokozuna, or is it something else?

[Kintamayama 45,527]

8 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

Out of curiosity, what makes you say that Asanoyama won't have the spine to climb back up to sekitori if he is suspended long enough to drop to the unsalaried ranks? Is it the way he's handled the expectations on him to be yokozuna, or is it something else?

Just a feeling. I don't know anything..

[Kintamayama 45,527]

Asanoyama intends to continue his sumo life, even if he drops to Makushita and lower, says his father. He is ready to hear  an intai suggestion from the Kyokai as well. "He is really sorry for  causing people bother. It is inexcusable. If he will be allowed to remain in the Kyokai he will see to it that he will struggle to the death.. " said his dad.

[Naganoyama 5,948]

10 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

Lately? Arashio's the only one, but as someone else already pointed out, on paper his record is spotless since the NSK didn't manage to make the yaocho accusation stick properly. 

...

His record is spotless because he was innocent.

[Kintamayama 45,527]

"We intend to discuss this at the rijikai on the 27th, but I'm pretty sure no decision will be made then. The decision won't be made that quickly," said Shibatayama today.

[Oshirokita 192]

Not enough eligible Juryo promotees to fill empty Makuuchi spots. Wait until after the banzuke is constructed before determining if intai is warranted.

[Eikokurai 3,437]

9 minutes ago, Oshirokita said:

Not enough eligible Juryo promotees to fill empty Makuuchi spots. Wait until after the banzuke is constructed before determining if intai is warranted.

I’m not sure it works like that. If intai is warranted, it’s warranted independent of other facts. :)

[Seiyashi 4,108]

5 minutes ago, Eikokurai said:

14 minutes ago, Oshirokita said:

Not enough eligible Juryo promotees to fill empty Makuuchi spots. Wait until after the banzuke is constructed before determining if intai is warranted.

I’m not sure it works like that. If intai is warranted, it’s warranted independent of other facts. :)

During the yaocho scandal, a lot of people got bumped upwards on otherwise unpromotable records, especially in Juryo. In particular, Kokkai and Akiseyama went up two ranks despite having double-digit MKs.

[Asashosakari 19,659]

Yeah, I really don't think they'd be too fussed about handing out one lucky promotion to a juryo rikishi, as opposed to the ignominy of having an already-intai Asanoyama sitting there on the Nagoya banzuke.

If they really can't get to a decision by Wednesday's banzuke-making session and then it turns out that it's curtains for Asanoyama after all, conceivably even the Asashoryu solution (blanked spot) could be on the table. That being said, anything along the lines of "we'll probably take our time with the decision" likely means that an intai advisory isn't coming. Whether that means they're in a forgiving mood or they just hope for Asanoyama to go on his own, though...

Edited May 22, 2021 by Asashosakari

[Seiyashi 4,108]

43 minutes ago, Asashosakari said:

If they really can't get to a decision by Wednesday's banzuke-making session and then it turns out that it's curtains for Asanoyama after all, conceivably even the Asashoryu solution (blanked spot) could be on the table. That being said, anything along the lines of "we'll probably take our time with the decision" likely means that an intai advisory isn't coming. Whether that means they're in a forgiving mood or they just hope for Asanoyama to go on his own, though...

I wonder why they're not being a bit more fire and brimstone about it though. There's not wanting to overshadow the basho conclusion, but you'd think they'd be sick and tired about rikishi and oyakata violating guidelines by now.

[cyclonicleo 19]

I am hoping it'll only be a suspension for Asanoyama, only because I want to see him use this as an opportunity to improve himself, his sumo and his mental fortitude.

[Yaochozuna 137]

If I was a lower division rikishi, I probably wouldn't be too happy about an ozeki-level abomination set on killing its way back up. Not that I want him to retire or be expelled. I just think that others would be taking a lot of punishment (pun intended) with him.

[Koorifuu 1,020]

19 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

Lately? Arashio's the only one, but as someone else already pointed out, on paper his record is spotless since the NSK didn't manage to make the yaocho accusation stick properly. 

Other than that, Tomozuna had had a run in with the NSK over the driving, and so did Sendagawa, but no one else in recent memory. Takekuma was also suspended over the baseball betting, but all of those were minor 1-basho suspensions.

He was part of a trio with current Futagoyama and Izutsu.

[Kintamayama 45,527]

They are saying his punishment will be decided in June, probably, as no one seems to be in a hurry. Maybe they are waiting for things to cool down and maybe another scandal will help us forget this one.

[Seiyashi 4,108]

3 minutes ago, Kintamayama said:

They are saying his punishment will be decided in June, probably, as no one seems to be in a hurry. Maybe they are waiting for things to cool down and maybe another scandal will help us forget this one.

Which is well into banzuke-making season, so it means they're probably not seriously considering intai otherwise there wouldn't be this lack of urgency.

Whether or not Asanoyama makes it a moot point is separate, I guess.

Other than Abi, has the board ever declined to accept someone's papers?

[Gospodin 219]

In the context of committing an infraction, I don´t know for sure, but I am quite certain there were other instances. As for other reasons, there were several, e.g. Onokuni being declined after going makekoshi as Yokozuna, while competing the full fifteen days.

[Seiyashi 4,108]

More goss courtesy of Herouth:

What made Asanoyama admit to his misdeeds, after the first questioning on the 18th, wasn't the fact that Bunshun had come out with photos on the 19th. He was questioned again on the 19th after the Bunshun article broke, and in the presence of a NSK lawyer this time. The lawyer went: if you're innocent, submit your phone for checking - particularly location history. And that damned him, because the location history matched the dates and times in the Bunshun report. That's when Asanoyama knew the jig was up and confessed.

The reporter who confronted the Bunshun reporters is apparently Asanoyama's assigned beat reporter from Sponichi; he himself is under investigation for disciplinary breaches at Sponichi because he apparently accompanied Asanoyama to that hostess bar at least once and Asanoyama footed most of the bill on that occasion, a clear breach of journalist ethics. 

Not entirely unexpectedly, Takasago is also starting to come under fire for being too soft and not staying in the heya - although that's not his fault as Nishikijima still stays in the heya building (but sleeps at 9 and doesn't interfere with the deshi). 

Edited May 23, 2021 by Seiyashi

[Swami 245]

13 hours ago, Gospodin said:

In the context of committing an infraction, I don´t know for sure, but I am quite certain there were other instances. As for other reasons, there were several, e.g. Onokuni being declined after going makekoshi as Yokozuna, while competing the full fifteen days.

Mienoumi also offered to retire when he was in danger of falling from ozeki for a second time, was talked out of it, and ended up steadying the ship, and making yokozuna into the bargain!

 

Swami

[Seiyashi 4,108]

2 minutes ago, Swami said:

13 hours ago, Gospodin said:

In the context of committing an infraction, I don´t know for sure, but I am quite certain there were other instances. As for other reasons, there were several, e.g. Onokuni being declined after going makekoshi as Yokozuna, while competing the full fifteen days.

Mienoumi also offered to retire when he was in danger of falling from ozeki for a second time, was talked out of it, and ended up steadying the ship, and making yokozuna into the bargain!

Out of reacts for now; thanks for the replies. But was Mienoumi rejected by the board themselves, or was it more a case of his shisho just refusing to let him quit like Terunofuji's case?

I assume this referred to mid-1977 where he was kadoban twice after putting up a string of mediocre KKs post-return from ozekiwake.

Edited May 23, 2021 by Seiyashi