Scandals in amateur sumo

[Akinomaki 40,831]

Half of the results in sumo search are now polluted by this:

Yoji Sonoda from the Waseda university sumo club (3rd year) was arrested for an attempt to get cannabis, the one asked to send him some leaves had been caught with them.

o

the national diet is debating a cannabis legislation reform at the moment o, concerning also cannabinoid oil, for which Nishonoseki did commercials: some even want to punish the use of that

Edited November 15, 2023 by Akinomaki

[Bunbukuchagama 776]

Oh no! Not the devil's lettuce!

 

[Tochinofuji 387]

Wow, this is a fun throwback to when I first got into sumo, with Roho, Wakanoho, and Hakurozan getting the boot for marijuana. There seemed to be much pearl clutching in the news about how foreigner rikishi  were tearing apart the very fabric of society. 

All very funny to a Canadian at the time given our general stance on marijuana. 

[dingo 1,303]

I'm sure Akinomaki knows that the stance on drugs in Japan is very strict and students using it attempting to use drugs is usually a big scandal. Also, not too long ago there was another scandal regarding Nihon University (American) football team members using drugs and the university overlooking it. So of course when now another similar issue pops up the local media will go nuts. 

[Akinomaki 40,831]

On 15/11/2023 at 07:28, Akinomaki said:

Yoji Sonoda from the Waseda university sumo club (3rd year) was arrested for an attempt to get cannabis, the one asked to send him some leaves had been caught with them

The sumo club of Waseda university was shut down because of this, the friend he asked (in July) also was a former member, both are from Fukuoka - no details about the intermediate yet. The club had won the B-class team title at the in(ter)colle(giate).

The photo of Sonoda the media had posted and most of his data have been erased from his page in the club  https://wasedasumo-website.com/player/detail/id/26129 (an attempt to save it on the Wayback machine came too late)

o vid

 

- the reaction to drugs in Japan shows the same mentality as the reaction to Corona

Edited November 16, 2023 by Akinomaki

[dingo 1,303]

This thread made me check if there have been any notable rikishi from Waseda University. Seems like the most recent sekitori was Kimikaze, whose fairly promising career was cut short by injuries. After rising through lower ranks fast, getting makushita and juryo yusho he only had one appearance in makuuchi at M13W. He didn't even manage to complete his only makuuchi basho due to injury and dropped to juryo, then makushita and finally out of sumo 2 years later. Apparently he now runs a sumo restaurant Kimikaze no Mise in Tokyo https://kimikazenomise.shop/

Edit: not sure if there's any upcoming youngsters with a Waseda background. I should do a forum search...

Edited November 16, 2023 by dingo

[Gaijingai 1,600]

English Newspaper with the Short Story

https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/crime-courts/20231115-149797/

 

Edited November 16, 2023 by Gaijingai
wrong URL

[Katooshu 3,335]

Kiho's brother is a member. 

[Akinomaki 40,831]

On 16/11/2023 at 10:49, Akinomaki said:

On 15/11/2023 at 07:28, Akinomaki said:

Yoji Sonoda from the Waseda university sumo club (3rd year) was arrested for an attempt to get cannabis, the one asked to send him some leaves had been caught with them

The sumo club of Waseda university was shut down because of this

Sonoda was indicted today for the attempt to obtain cannabis. The members of the closed down Waseda sumo club were questioned, no actual possession of cannabis was established. o

o

Edited December 5, 2023 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 40,831]

On 05/12/2023 at 15:37, Akinomaki said:

Sonoda was indicted today for the attempt to obtain cannabis. The members of the closed down Waseda sumo club were questioned, no actual possession of cannabis was established. o

At the first hearing today at the Fukuoka district court, Sonoda admitted to the charges of having tried to obtain cannabis, and also that he has used cannabis and shared it with others in the sumo club and at the university dormitory. The prosecution demands 10months imprisonment (in Japan with hard labour) for this, the defense claims he only received it for himself and asks for a suspended sentence.

vid

Edited January 23, 2024 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 40,831]

On 23/01/2024 at 21:25, Akinomaki said:

At the first hearing today at the Fukuoka district court, Sonoda admitted to the charges of having tried to obtain cannabis, and also that he has used cannabis and shared it with others in the sumo club and at the university dormitory. The prosecution demands 10months imprisonment (in Japan with hard labour) for this, the defence claims he only received it for himself and asks for a suspended sentence.

Unusual for Japan: a quick trial - the sentence today just as the prosecution had demanded, 10 months prison, and as the defence had asked for as suspended sentence - 3 years. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/fukuoka-news/20240130/5010023268.html

[John Gunning 3,659]

On Sunday I was talking to former Wanpaku star Uchida (pictured) and other members of Waseda sumo club that weren't caught up in the drug thing. They said that even though the club was closed they've been able to practice elsewhere. Not a great situation but at least they can keep doing sumo.

 

[WAKATAKE 2,677]

Rentaisekinin is one thing I don't agree with in Japanese society. If one person messes up, the whole team has to suffer. About 15 years ago a wrestler on the Nittaidai team was involved in an SA, and the whole team was banned from competition for one year. One of my kohai saw his last year of wrestling go down the drain because of that