Sumo chief Kitanoumi quits over marijuana scandal; 2 Russian wrestlers expelled

Tuesday 09th September, 05:35 AM JST

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Altria at 11:06 AM JST - 9th September

Well it looks like Roho has now admitted to toking up in LA, and another unidentified wrestler has been arrested for beating up a taxi driver and saying 'what's wrong with a sumo wrestler smoking a bit of MJ?'
Sarge at 11:09 AM JST - 9th September

To answer DXXJP's excellent question - it's 5 to 10 times "the World Anti-Doping Agency standard of marijuana constituents," according to the Yomiuri Shimbun.
soldave at 11:56 AM JST - 9th September

DXXJP - depends on what your nationality is.
cracaphat at 12:16 PM JST - 9th September

And the Russians know what to say when in trouble.Blame it on the black man. The Russians are learning the native English speakers of the UK and US ways of innate racism. You can all see now why Obama might not win.
fatloser at 12:39 PM JST - 9th September

This is part of an elaborate plan to eliminate the caucasian from sumo. The different complexion offends many Japanese sense of identity. Sumo and cosplay are the last places they can turn and feel ethnic pride. Imported help has been used in sumo, but most have a simial hue. A few "lily-white" sumo can be tollerated, but a wave of the would destroy their sense of identity.
tigris at 01:58 PM JST - 9th September

Sacked sumo wrestler Roho admitted obtaining marijuana in Los Angeles http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20080909p2a00m0na003000c.html
dennis0bauer at 03:48 PM JST - 9th September

northlondon thanks for the calrification, i did not know that.

Fatloser. it is more to get rid of those wrestler who are out of line, i guess the JSA were also hoping that asashuuryou would resign after the many incidents.
presto345 at 10:26 PM JST - 9th September

The different complexion offends many Japanese sense of identity.

Total bull. It's not what you see on the outside, but what you don't see on the inside. And did you say caucasian? Weren't there a few other races you wanted to mention? If wrestlers can't conform to a traditional code of conduct there is no place for them. That goes for the non-japanese as well as the natives. It's easier for the natives to observe the rules than the foreigners as the former are one with the culture. Kitanoumi had to resign as this is also part of the culture: heads in high places roll when something goes wrong. You may criticize all you want, but Japan still isn't a copy of sophisticated (!) western societies. You may have to re-examine though what 'sophisticated' means.
MrEggAndSpoon at 11:14 PM JST - 9th September

How can the Russian man be expel for this, they not give to children or something.

Weed make you mellow, it should be available for everyone, it is beautifull.
YadotNapaj at 11:42 PM JST - 9th September

Kitanoumi's resignation is a shame. A sad end to a glorious and record-setting career.

But, he had to go.

All of these clowns caused some huge "MEIWAKU" and showed little or no "HANSEI". Especially Kitanoumi. All you guys living in Japan know how important those two things are. Everyone causes a little "Meiwaku" now and then, but if you show a little "Hansei", it's cool and all is forgiven.

Kita has no one to blame but himself. According to the Japanese media after Wakanoho was busted he told the Sumo Association he wanted to take some "time" ("Kyugyo shite Kangaetai") to figure out an appropriate response. When he should have been taking some type of action.

Wakanoho was busted on August 18th for alleged possession in June. We are now in September, too little too late for Kita.

The Russian bros R&H deny usage and are probably getting the boot because of Kita's inability to manage the scandal as he should have. It's not fair especially if the testing is flawed and they are innocent. But it's the convenient thing to do and gets the whole mess resolved before the start of the September tournament.

I do hope that the Sumo Association develops some sort of drug policy similar to what they have in organized professional sports.

Three strikes and your out is a good policy because it gives the guys a chance to show us all how stupid many of them are not once, not twice, but three times.
Sarge at 07:58 AM JST - 10th September

I can't believe Roho would be so stupid as to tell several stablemasters that he smoked weed in LA and then go on TV and say he'd never seen or smoked it.
TheNewZen at 09:10 AM JST - 10th September

Sarge did you read the reports?

He told the board AFTER the samples came back positive (duirng the hearing prior to his dismissal) NOT before his TV-Interviews.

Initially when asked about the days prior to the tests he and his brother claimed they couldn't recall anything(memory was a blank), etc. Later on he claimed he didn't fully understand the questions as his japanese is too poor and he only understood 80% of what was talked to him.
TheNewZen at 09:28 AM JST - 10th September

Interesting article:

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20080909p2a00m0na018000c.html
zurcronium at 11:32 AM JST - 12th September

Use to be cops were the best source of weed, now it seems its sumo dudes.
Philosophy187 at 01:22 PM JST - 14th September

Wow! It is a noble thing for the Sumo chief Kitanoumi to have resigned over the marijuana scandal between the 2 Russian wrestlers being expelled. I mean we would not want the 2 WRESTLERS! to have hurt another WRESTLER! while high!... I am sure the Sumo chief Kitanoumi could bare living any more becuase all those innocent WRESTLERS in justice.

Get Real.