Hokuseiho Out- Hakuho Demoted - Miyagino-beya Closing

[Godango 956]

2 hours ago, Shiroiokami said:

What makes me sad is that there's no chance of redemption for Hokuseiho, he's young, and young people do stupid shit all the time, especially when they're in powerful positions. I'd rather see him have to go to therapy to help get his problems under control, rather than just be thrown out without any other recourse. The culture in sumo won't change as fast unless the people in it can change, if he had been given that chance and still continued to bully and steal, then throw his ass out.

I agree with the sentiment, it just depends how severe the bullying was. If it's true he was using fire to burn others -- there can't be any tolerance shown for that kind of assault. In cases such as that, hopefully the example of "even if you're an extremely promising young Makuuchi rikishi you'll be gone" leads to a change in behaviour.

[Kintamayama 44,349]

2 hours ago, Tsuchinoninjin said:

What should we send you as an apology?

Well, nothing has actually happened to him yet bar the ;possible demotion. Let's wait before you send the Toyota Century over by sea.

[Kotomiyama 165]

Hokuseiho? I don't care, I didn't like the guy. He was wasting a nature's gift and his relarion with the GOAT.

Hakuho, on the other hand... I just hope that he learns from all of this. If he wants to revolutionise the NSK, which I am sure he does, he must first set the highest standard for his heya and all of his pupils. And that certainly doesn't include bullying.

[Kaninoyama 1,694]

Maybe deep down Hokuseiho didn't like sumo and wanted out. How else do you explain such inexcusable behavior.

Won't be surprised to see him fighting ex-Chiyotairu at the next Breaking Down fighting event. Either that, or perhaps a professional wrestling career awaits. 

In any case, hope the young guy gets his act together in his life after sumo. 

Edited February 22 by Kaninoyama

[Barutokai 62]

13 minutes ago, Kaninoyama said:

Maybe deep down Hokuseiho didn't like sumo and wanted out. How else do you explain such inexcusable behavior.

Interesting thought! I mean he was scouted at the age of 5-6. He kinda was supposed to be the next big sekitori if not yokozuna.

[since_94 650]

Really hope they take it easy on Miyagino. Of course, he's ultimately responsible for what goes happens on his watch, no one would argue otherwise. That said, he does more for promoting and popularizing the sport internationally and fostering future talent than anyone else I can think of. As has been said many times before, he's a huge asset to the JSA, whether they like it or not.

[Taliesin 68]

Well, big sekitori he was...

[Asashosakari 18,784]

Today's round of particularly sordid additional details comes courtesy of Sponichi. The lowlights:

• Hokuseiho's physical abuse of junior stable members has been going on for over a year and was essentially an everyday occurrence.
• Sticks and other objects were involved in the routine beatings.
• The previously mentioned abuse with fire involved spray cans in some way. (I'm not sure what that means exactly - lighting the fumes to create fireballs?)

Hokuseiho's misdeeds are said to be "numerous" both in the pure amount of incidents as well as in their variety, with some types of wrongdoing apparently yet to be revealed. The people tasked with investigating the case presented their findings to the full compliance committee on Wednesday. One person in attendance is quoted as saying, "I couldn't bear listening to it any longer after a while." Oof.

Edited February 22 by Asashosakari

[Katooshu 3,132]

Sounds like the old grade school trick of spraying something flammable, putting a lighter in front of it, and essentially having a crude torch.

Except I never saw that done to actually burn people 

[dada78641 884]

24 minutes ago, Asashosakari said:

Hokuseiho's misdeeds are said to be "numerous" both in the pure amount of incidents as well as in their variety, with some types of wrongdoing apparently yet to be revealed. The people tasked with investigating the case presented their findings to the full compliance committee on Wednesday. One person in attendance is quoted as saying, "I couldn't bear listening to it any longer after a while." Oof.

Considering how numerous the types of abuse are, it really feels like there's no possibility Hakuho didn't know what was going on. You can't exactly pretend it's nothing when there's this much and it's this bizarre.

Like others have said it's all just so disappointing. I really wasn't expecting Hokuseiho to be this kind of person, and I wasn't expecting Hakuho to be so lackadaisical about protecting his new heya that he allowed all this to happen.

[MrGrumpyGills 119]

I disliked him quite a bit because of his boring/bored sumo, but not in a million years would I've suspected that he'd be capable of doing stuff like that
You really can't judge a book by its cover and the "gentle giant" stereotype sometimes just doesn't fit.
Well, good riddance!

[Chartorenji 235]

This is the most guilty look I've ever seen btw. Looks like a schoolkid being told to come to the principals office. 

[Kaninoyama 1,694]

56 minutes ago, dada78641 said:

Considering how numerous the types of abuse are, it really feels like there's no possibility Hakuho didn't know what was going on. You can't exactly pretend it's nothing when there's this much and it's this bizarre.

Like others have said it's all just so disappointing. I really wasn't expecting Hokuseiho to be this kind of person, and I wasn't expecting Hakuho to be so lackadaisical about protecting his new heya that he allowed all this to happen.

If the extent of those allegations are anywhere near true, it's hard to see how Hakuho escapes having to accept the ultimate responsibility and hand in his own intai papers. Just an utter failure as a shiso & stable master. 

[Leoben 121]

1 hour ago, Asashosakari said:

Today's round of particularly sordid additional details comes courtesy of Sponichi. The lowlights:

• Hokuseiho's physical abuse of junior stable members has been going on for over a year and was essentially an everyday occurrence.
• Sticks and other objects were involved in the routine beatings.
• The previously mentioned abuse with fire involved spray cans in some way. (I'm not sure what that means exactly - lighting the fumes to create fireballs?)

Hokuseiho's misdeeds are said to be "numerous" both in the pure amount of incidents as well as in their variety, with some types of wrongdoing apparently yet to be revealed. The people tasked with investigating the case presented their findings to the full compliance committee on Wednesday. One person in attendance is quoted as saying, "I couldn't bear listening to it any longer after a while." Oof.

I don't think there's any way to interpret this charitably towards Hakuho. If this is true, he's an incompetent stablemaster and should be forced to resign.

What an incredible disappointment it would be for the GOAT to end his career like this, but it would be entirely deserved.

[Katooshu 3,132]

Thank the heavens that Onosato didn't end up choosing Miyagino beya. Too much drama too quickly. 

Edited February 23 by Katooshu

[Koorifuu 886]

8 minutes ago, Katooshu said:

Thank the heavens that Onosato didn't end up choosing Miyagino beya. Too much drama too quickly. 

To think it looked like going to Nishonoseki wasn't his choice...

[Asashosakari 18,784]

FWIW, none of the reputable papers have mentioned that kicking Miyagino out altogether might actually be on the table, and even the idea of taking Miyagino-beya away from him - either installing a different shisho, or putting the rikishi under temporary caretakership in a different heya, or closing Miyagino-beya entirely - has been mentioned only in side comments, not as a major storyline. Sanspo did put the heya-gone possibility into an article headline today, but even their article is very low on actual content about that, basically just saying that "it may be discussed today".

But really, I ain't ruling anything out anymore. This whole story has gone from "what?" to "ohmygodohmygodohmygod" faster than possibly anything since the 2011 yaocho scandal.

Edited February 23 by Asashosakari

[Sakura 1,472]

27 minutes ago, Leoben said:

 If this is true, he's an incompetent stablemaster and should be forced to resign.

There have been incompetent stablemasters who have been allowed to continue.

[Katooshu 3,132]

Heck, maybe he'll even be promoted to head of PR and ethics, like Shibatayama 

[specialweek 2 136]

8 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

Umm.. Errm.. Are we getting closer to my prediction here? The one everyone thought I was being very wrong about? 

Where is the prediction ?

[mugatake 33]

https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2024/02/23/kiji/20240223s00005000204000c.html

Sponichi reports that the Association has accepted Hokuseihou's intai papers, Hakuhou demoted as predicted.

[Chartorenji 235]

1 hour ago, Asashosakari said:

But really, I ain't ruling anything out anymore. This whole story has gone from "what?" to "ohmygodohmygodohmygod" faster than possibly anything since the 2011 yaocho scandal.

This story has been a thing outside of Sumoforum circles for a minute, but that's because r/sumo for example think Chris Gould is slightly (can't emphasize on how slightly) more reliable then here. But I also wouldn't take the tabloids serious until the sources here start talking.

1 hour ago, Katooshu said:

Thank the heavens that Onosato didn't end up choosing Miyagino beya. Too much drama too quickly. 

TBF Nishonoseki is a palace compared to every other beya. Pretty sure if someone were to bully another Rikishi, medieval knights would come out of the walls to stop it.

[Reonito 1,335]

Apparently another oyakata from the ichimon will take over as the heya master for Haru, and then provide continued guidance to Hakuho on how to run a heya.

[Kaninoyama 1,694]

Hard to imagine that the GOAT would swallow his considerable pride and meekly accept such humiliating punishment, but we shall see. 

 

 

Edited February 23 by Kaninoyama

[Yamanashi 3,723]

58 minutes ago, Reonito said:

Apparently another oyakata from the ichimon will take over as the heya master for Haru, and then provide continued guidance to Hakuho on how to run a heya.

That list would include ... Isegahama, Asakayama, Asahiyama, Oshima (not Ajigawa).  Which one of those would have the time or the inclination to do this? (Please instruct me).