Roho, left, and Hakurozan

Roho, Hakurozan seeking to nullify dismissals

Saturday 13th September, 06:37 AM JST

TOKYO —

Russian siblings Roho and Hakurozan, who were dismissed by the Japan Sumo Association over alleged marijuana use earlier this week, reiterated their innocence Friday and said they will continue their drive to nullify their dismissals. ‘‘I didn’t smoke marijuana and I don’t trust the tests and test results. I’ll battle it out with the association,’’ Roho said, referring to the two tests conducted by the JSA that showed positive results for marijuana use by him and his younger brother Hakurozan.

Hakurozan also denied smoking marijuana and the brothers did not rule out the possibility of taking legal action. Roho, 28, and Hakurozan, 26, were speaking to the press for the first time since the JSA’s executive committee expelled them from the traditional Japanese sport following the dismissal of fellow Russian wrestler Wakanoho, who was arrested last month on suspicion of marijuana possession. Yasuo Shionoya, Roho’s lawyer, who has cast doubt on the credibility of the tests, said he is set to send written inquiries asking the association to clarify the test procedures and to set out clear-cut grounds for concluding that the results were not due to secondhand smoke.

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chibaman at 10:14 AM JST - 13th September

The guy was on TV the other day and he didn't deny that both his clients had tested positive for dope, and also didn't deny the levels detected were 5 and 10 times the normal.

Diggedydog, you're right there, but you're wrong here

His whole argument was based on questioning who decides what is or is not the acceptable level of marijuana to be detected in testing...when one of the talento panel pointed out that the JSA used the Olympic Committee's criteria of drug use, he was stumped and babbled of on some other point, not connected to the talento's comment.

That other point he was supposedly stumped and babbling on about, was that the Olympics crew don't care if you smoke it or not, if it's in your system then you are out of the games, end of story. Is that the same standard to be applied by the JSA? There is no proof that Roho and Hakurozan smoked it.

Not saying the lawyer will win but he has valid points and will push them and it will be interesting. Thus Roho and Hakurozan can have hope.
chibaman at 10:21 AM JST - 13th September

Didn't they admit to the JSA of having smoked mj in LA?

The lawyer claimed the admissions were coerced, and the manner in which it was done has been verified by five other people.

...are they denying having smoked the stuff in Japan?

Yes. Their position is they have never smoked it.
dammit at 11:39 AM JST - 13th September

This whole marijuana thing is confusing me. Are they actually testing all the sumo on a regular basis? If so, do they test all the members of the same stable (or whatever it's called) at the same time? After all, they pretty much do the same things and breathe the same air most days of the week, and if the Russians test positive and the others don't then either they're lying or they went somewhere with dodgy smoke around. If they don't test the entire stable at the same time, why not?

More to the point, are they only testing the foreigners? I find it hard to believe that they can test all the sumo and only 3 Russians are positive.

I must admit that I suspect a vindictive element behind all this, deliberately trying to get certain foreigners expelled. It's not exactly difficult to spike someone's food with marijuana after all, maybe drinks too but I wouldn't know. Hell, they could surely chop it up and dry it and stick a herb or ao nori label on the jar. It would be too easy to get rid of people that way, and it certainly seems fishy to me.

But maybe I just can't resist conspiracy theories! Whatever, watch your back Asashouryu!
fatloser at 11:46 AM JST - 13th September

They should submit themselves to the most stringent of tests immediately. With the SAME company the JSA sumo was using!!
TheNewZen at 12:03 PM JST - 13th September

AFAIK, it was the first drug-test conducted and was done on all the 69 Wrestlers from the top-tier at a local tournament.

Spiking the food would need to be done on the individuals bowl as chanko is prepared in 2 or 3 big pots by the junior wrestlers and everybody gets served from the same pots.

I still say test them again including air-follicle test. Drug-specialist from the center that did the testing said the levels were too high for 2nd-hand smoke in a TV-interview.
chibaman at 12:25 PM JST - 13th September

...done on all the 69 Wrestlers from the top-tier at a local tournament

Barring one. Who? Could be a Japanese or one of the top foreign wrestlers. Will be interesting to see if his name is revealed or not. At any rate there is no reason for anyone to be given exemption from testing, unless the result would be devastating for the Association. Roll up your sleeves it's gonna get dirty...
TheNewZen at 12:36 PM JST - 13th September

There are only 69 wrestlers in the top-tier so I don't know who got exempted.
TheNewZen at 01:09 PM JST - 13th September

Interesting read(last paragraph is interesting):

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20080913p2a00m0na004000c.html
BurakuminDes at 06:34 PM JST - 13th September

Memo from the JMA from their last board meeting (translated) : "The only way to save Sumo from impending extinction is to rid it of the dirty gaijin wrestlers, who are sullying the sport by , er, being foreign, and winning too often. Get rid of the Russian boys - DONE, Asa - Almost Done, next up will be Kotooshu and Hakuho on some dirt we find. Once all these foreign devils are gone, Nihon-jin can once again dominate.Muww ha ha ha ha "
Sarge at 10:30 PM JST - 13th September

Roho and his brother have yet to pass a test for marijuana, right? They'd better pass one soon. I'll bet they're drinking lotsa water these days ha ha
ExPrinceska at 12:33 AM JST - 14th September

If Asashoryu and Hakuho are expelled then Kotooshyu will be the next yokozuna. Kotooshyu will never be expelled because Japanese people love him.
Hun at 12:29 PM JST - 14th September

Those Russians should go back to their North Osetia and get employed by separatists to make some money to buy marijuana by pillaging and looting Georgian villages.
Sarge at 05:57 PM JST - 14th September

Princess - Asashoryu and Hakuho are not going to be expelled, and Asashoryu just beat Baruto, and Hakuho just beat Asasekiryu.
dennis0bauer at 03:42 PM JST - 16th September

Kotooshyu will never be Yokozuna he ussualy barely makes his 8 wins. And JSA will not retract their dismissals of the Russians
nipponreddog at 07:30 PM JST - 17th September

If they had an attorney with a lick of sense, he would have argued their unassailable defense, i.e., that they perhaps inadvertently and unknowingly EATEN cannibis in their food. And then the lawyer would have called in an expert witness on hemp, Chis Conrad, to testify. Thereby, not only defending the Sumo boys, but also demonstrating how absurd and antiquated Japan's policy on cannibis is. www.chrisconrad.com