February 6, 2009
world class athlete tarnished by marijuana scandal
In the past six months, four wrestlers have been kicked out of the ancient sport [of Sumo] for allegedly smoking marijuana, creating the biggest drugs-in-sports scandal that Japan has ever seen.
“We are appalled by his utter folly,” The Asahi, a major newspaper, said in an outraged editorial. “Some young people casually try pot. It is vital that we educate them on the risks of this drug from a fairly early age.”
Sumo wrestlers are expected to live the old-school life of a disciple. They wear their hair in topknots, dress in traditional robes and train in communal “stables.” Their schedules are tightly regulated and the word of their coaches, who are still called “masters,” is absolute and final.
“In the most recent cases, the normal connections are not there anymore,” said David Shapiro, a sumo color commentator [Sumo color commentator!] for broadcaster NHK. “Stable masters normally are your surrogate fathers and now they are your surrogate stepfathers. There are certain stables where this never would have happened.”
“It is hard not to call them lenient in this case,” said Sports Minister Ryu Shionoya. “This is utterly shameful.”
Wakakirin reportedly became interested in marijuana after reading about it in magazines and seeing others smoking it at hip-hop clubs.
Despite its status as Japan’s national sport, sumo has been hit with several scandals in recent years, including persistent accusations of bout-fixing, the hazing death of a young wrestler two years ago, and the antics of its top champion, a fiery Mongolian who fights under the name of Asashoryu.
comments
Leave a Reply
I think it’s horrible what they’re doing to Michael Phelps…
I can see that ganja would be very useful for stimulating sumo wrestlers’ appetites.