Russian sumo wrestler denies marijuana use; wants new test

Thursday 04th September, 07:01 AM JST

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

Latest 15 of 28 Total Comments Show All

nigelboy at 01:13 PM JST - 4th September
Thundercat.

I never said he was being set up.

I never said you did. I simply asked "who" would set it up if it was a set up.

Can you please explain why the results of a preliminary test were released when a conclusive test hadn't even been conducted yet?

Good question. According to couple sources.
1. The original intention was to report the findings after the final extensive test. However,
2. Some of the reporters at the scene were already aware of the fact that out of the 69 wrestlers who were at the meeting, only 2 (Roho and Hakurozan) only two remained in the room when everybody else was dismissed. Please note that during that time, both Roho and Hakurozan requested that the same urine samples be tested again. (Which JADA did, 3 times for Roho)
They determined that it was best to release the results.
1. Shohei Ohnishi, member of Japan Anti Doping Agency (JADA), stated that the positive results in this test is not the final conclusion. However, he was dissapointed that the media didn't not EMPHASIZE this.
  
  http://www.iza.ne.jp/news/newsarticle/print/sports/sumo/175535/ http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/sumo/news/p-sp-tp3-20080904-404551.html
Whether they should of or shouldn't of released the names are debatable for the media frenzy would of been chaotic for both scenarios.

I think conspiracies are generally the stuff of movies..

I think a more plausible conspiracy would be that indeed, these test turns out to be negative(because the urine samples were kept in custody by the JSA) and Kitanoumi remains as the head even though the media and the Japanese public for that matter want to see him get nailed to the coffin.

Just leave the "race" stuff out since the media and the Japanese public are more concerned about Kitanoumi.

The amount of "KY" expats here are appalling.
fatloser at 01:16 PM JST - 4th September

WHAT IF----WHAT IF, the Mongolians don't want Russian competition and are using sneaky tricks to eliminate them!!!??
thundercat at 01:37 PM JST - 4th September

nigelboy,

The amount of "KY" expats here are appalling. Please explain.
thundercat at 01:42 PM JST - 4th September

BTW, read this thread again. The first person to bring up 'race' was you with your childish, off topic remark about expats (foreigners).
natosucks at 01:58 PM JST - 4th September

A Russian sumo wrestler who tested positive for marijuana use said Wednesday he has never used the drug and called for a new test... for what?, one test is enough

Whats the problem moderator? kma
dennis0bauer at 03:16 PM JST - 4th September

it is a conspiracy of epic proportions!:p
KissMint at 03:25 PM JST - 4th September

"KY" is an abbreviation for 空気読めない = kuuki yomenai >>> used to describe people who are rather unperceptive or can't read between the lines/get a correct sense of the atmosphere.

I don't think using KY as above makes sense... or perhaps I'm being KY. (I also thought it was mostly used by J-teens, and additionally find it rather strange that it's being dropped in the middle of an English discussion... I think most English speakers would think it a reference to the jelly... :-)

Back on topic: If they hadn't released any names, the media could only speculate as to who was under suspicion. By confirming it was the two Russians, they played the "guilty until proven innocent" card that is so frequently used here. Oops... maybe I'm being KY again.
pointofview at 03:43 PM JST - 4th September

No matter what the outcome will be they`re screwed! Playing with the authorities here will give you nothing but stress and anger. Ex pats need assistance from their countries to fight this nonsense and it should be firm assistance.

I just cant believe that it was only the 2 foreign wrestlers who were nailed. WoW! And it was behind closed doors too so you cant get the honest truth and trust from these people. If ruining lives is some kind of fun/games that these Japanese authorities like/are playin, it is a sad world. Why arent the public questioning anything? is my question.
thundercat at 04:15 PM JST - 4th September

KissMint, Thanks. Actually, I understood the reference but was just hoping that Nigelboy would take a minute to explain why he would say such a thing.
mikihouse at 10:05 PM JST - 4th September

some pain relievers uses the active substance of dope to control pain. It is actually a very good drug to give for patients suffering from cancer as an alternative to morphine. It is possible that the Russian brothers are taking medications that may contain the active substance
unscrejects at 10:17 PM JST - 4th September

Cannabis: the drug any ramen eater will test positive for.

Poor sods. I saw it during the Nagano Olympics. As an athlete who was tested more than twenty times and as a researcher for IAAF banned substances I have known for years that people are being punished for ingesting cannabis seeds used in spice mixes. Worse still is that cannabis resin oil used in a number of Asian cuisines will produce positive tests. Even more likely to register positive than for smoking the weed. Japanese police are aware of the fact - in Hiroshima they told me that the seeds (which are sold in any pet food shop, spice shop...) are not illegal except when cultivated.
Good_Jorb at 04:28 AM JST - 5th September

Just checking, but when did Marijuana become a "Performance Enhancing Drug" ?

Doesn't have to be performance enhancing, you can get kicked from the olympics for testing postive for THC.

Sumo is just a fake sport not unlike WWE, it could be all for show. http://articles.latimes.com/2007/mar/15/world/fg-sumo15
rjd_jr at 02:13 PM JST - 5th September

Funny, since this is a foreign wrestler of non Japanese extraction, we have the sherlock holmes' here automatically questioning the accuracy of the drug test, bringing in 'x-files' type paranoia conspiracy, and other laughable non issues. This simply would not happen if it was a Japanese sumo wrestler, in that case the presumption is the 120 percent guilt of the Jp sumo wrestler by default. Unfortunate double standards, he tested positive, now he's trying the old "I'm innocent" plea and trying to make it seem like the Japanese system is totally biased against foreigners like him.
nigelboy at 02:21 PM JST - 5th September

By confirming it was the two Russians, they played the "guilty until proven innocent" card that is so frequently used here. Oops... maybe I'm being KY again.

Yes you are. If you check the "Crime" section on this website, the "guilt" is presumed even though the person was just "arrested". Only when there is a foreigner involved is when the usual crowd plays the "What happened to innocent until proven guilty?" or "he was set up!!" card.
thundercat at 05:12 PM JST - 5th September

rjd,

You are such a righteous defender, and yet you have no idea what you are talking about. I would WITHOUT A DOUBT question the validity of litmus type drug test whether it was a Japanese wrestler or otherwise. THERE IS NO CHANCE I would use double standards in this or any other situation regarding Japanese and foreign crimes that are 'alleged' with almost no proof to back it up. I've been in Japan for decades, have a Japanese wife, Japanese children, Japanese parents (in-law) and live in a rural area of, yup - you guessed it, Japan!