.jpg)
JUDO/ Judo federation director resigns over violence by university team
Efforts by the All Japan Judo Federation to clear up its scandal-tainted image took a tumble on Sept. 4 with the resignation of one of its new directors to take responsibility for acts of violence by members of a university judo team that he heads.
On Sept. 4, Tenri University officials in Nara Prefecture announced that four seniors on the judo team struck a dozen or so freshmen in May, and that one of the freshmen suffered a ruptured left eardrum.
University officials suspended Saburo Tosa, the head coach of the judo team, and plan to discipline the senior students as early as Sept. 5.
Shozo Fujii, the head of the judo program, also serves as a director of the All Japan Judo Federation. He informed the federation and university that he would step down from both positions over the latest scandal.
According to Tenri University officials, the four seniors scolded 28 freshmen after practice in mid-May for drinking water outside of allotted breaks. The seniors slapped a dozen or so of the freshmen with their bare hands, with some receiving multiple blows. One suffered a ruptured eardrum during the assault.
The student with the ruptured eardrum was also struck in the buttocks numerous times by a senior with a wooden sword in June. The acts of violence came to light when the student asked to quit the judo team on July 10. On July 24, Tosa, Fujii and the senior who hit the freshman all apologized to the student and his parents.
Tenri University questioned those involved in the incidents in July. The senior said he wanted to raise the freshman's fighting spirit.
University officials say the picture became clearer on what exactly happened after they started questioning the other senior and freshmen students starting from late July. However, the university never publicized the incident and initially did not even submit a report to the All Japan Judo Federation.
Although Fujii knew about the acts of violence, he also did not inform the federation.
Fujii assumed the director's position on Aug. 21 as part of a massive turnover of judo executives as the federation attempted to clean house following a series of similar scandals, including the use of violence by instructors during training on female judoka and the unjustified acceptance of government subsidies.
Asked why he did not tell the federation, Fujii said, "Because I left the decision on how to deal with the assaults up to university officials, I was not in a position to say anything (to the judo federation). I regret not doing so."
This is terrible, by punishing coaches and sensei after all the time and dedication to judo because they punished a few juniors is making judo players into modern softies.
ReplyDeleteIf it an't broken why fix it.
One only has to look at the the Japanese women's judo who cried foul after the London Olympics about being beaten and abused and haven't won a gold medal since.