Take our user survey and make your voice heard.
The All Japan Judo Federation has announced that it is to appoint women to its board of directors for the first time in its history. The federation announced Monday that two-time Olympic judo gold medalist Ryoko Tani, 37, currently a lawmaker in Japan's House of Councillors, will be appointed the first female member of the board of directors, due to an emergency board reshuffle.
Sankei Shimbun quoted sources close to the matter as saying that several women are likely to be appointed to the board on the advice of a third-party consultation firm as part of an attempt to reshape the federation's public image, following a grant misappropriation scandal and revelations that some national coaches had assaulted female judo wrestlers.
The announcement follows news that 15 female wrestlers, including members of Japan's 2012 national Olympic judo team, lodged a complaint with the Japanese Olympic Committee over alleged violence and harassment by then head coach of the national team, Ryuji Sonoda and others. Sonoda resigned from his post in February.
© Japan Today
5 Comments
Login to comment
rickyvee
tani is a part of the "old guard" in the judo world. i don't see her as being an effective board member who will look out for women. they should have gotten someone from the outside to be a board member.
spudman
Window dressing in an attempt to impress the IOC. Sham politics when you consider Tani never ever said anything about the abuse all the while she was there.
therougou
Not only while she was there, even after the scandal broke out she avoided condemning anyone in her press conferences.
TigersTokyoDome
Totally agree with the comments above. This is a woman who retired from being one of the greatest women judoka to a career in mainstream (not human rights) politics. I always believed that it is a great disappointment when Olympic champions want to be in the headlights as a mainstream politician.
smithinjapan
At least it's something she is semi-qualified for, unlike simply being elected into a political position, with no credentials, due to her celebrity status. But let me guess, she's going to do this AND politics at the same time, right?