Skip to main content

Dark Side of the Rising Sun

For all the good things that happened this year, just like anywhere else Japan had its share of problems. In sports, speed skater Kei Saito's doping suspension at the Pyeongchang Olympics, the harassment case around coach Kazuhito Sakae and Olympic gold medalist wrestler Kaori Icho, and the Nihon University football scandal involving head coach Masato Uchida directing a player to deliberately take out the opposing team's quarterback were some of the bigger stories, but in athletics as well there was no shortage of problems. From actions ranging from the individual to the systemic and societal, from doping to corruption to abuse and harassment, a quick list of the year's lows two years out from Tokyo 2020.

Drugs and Injections

'Top Canoeist Suspended for Framing Rival for Doping'

Why is the Number of Doping Offenders Growing in Once-Upon-a-Time Clean Japan?

National Corporate Women's Ekiden Champion Team to be Stripped of Title After Member Tests Positive

Nakamura on Positive Drug Test: "I Had Gynecological Issues I Didn't Want Anyone to Know About"

Official Statement From Corporate Federation Director Nishikawa on Anti-Doping Violation and Sanction

JADA Disciplinary Panel Ruling Against Moeno Nakamura

Iron Injections Remain an Issue in Japanese High School Girls' Distance Running

JAAF Cracking Down on Iron Injection Abuse, to Require Blood Testing at National High School Ekiden

Ethics, Grift and Malfeasance

20 km Racewalk World Record Holder Suzuki Suspended 6 Months for False Expense Claims

Family of Woman Who Died Last Fall Sue Race Organizers After She Fell in Ocean During Race Four Years Ago

Ekiden Runner Who Got Team Disqualified at National Championships Arrested on Fraud Charges

Official Caught Manipulating Results to Get Junior High School Athletes Into National Championships

Two City Council Members Asked to Resign Over Misappropriation of Subsidies for Local Road Race

'National Expenditure for Tokyo Olympics Set to Run 7 Times Over Earlier Budget Estimate: Report'

Komazawa University to Establish Third-Party Committee to Investigate Claims of Strife Between Coach Oyagi and School President

National Corporate Federation Under Investigation for Violation of Antitrust Law in Restriction on Athletes Changing Teams

Coaching Abuses and Athlete Mental Health

Former World Championships Marathoner Hara Arrested Again for Shoplifting Candy

Former World-Class Marathoner Hara Admits to Shoplifting During Athlete Days Due to Coach's Severe Weight Restrictions

How a Former National Team Level Marathoner Developed an Eating Disorder

University Coach Who Lost High School Position After Abusing Students Accused of Abuse

Nittai University Head Coach Masaaki Watanabe Fired Over Abuse Scandal

Star First-Year Quits Toyo University Alleging Violence by Teammates; Teammates Allege He Had a Bad Attitude

Hot Weather and the Tokyo Olympics

Six University Meet Cancels 5000 m Because It Was Just Too Damned Hot

An Endless Heat Wave - Will the Olympics Really Be OK?

Money First for a Midsummer Olympics? Just Can't Say No to Those American TV Dollars

'Call for Tokyo Olympic Marathon to Start at 5.30am to Avoid Deaths'

No Discussion of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Marathon Start Time at IAAF Council Meeting

Sexual Harassment

High School Teacher Suspended for Sexually Harassing Member of Girls' Track Team

JAAF Marathon Project Leader Seko Given Official Warning After Sexual Harassment Accusation by Female TV Announcer

Aging Society

Heisoko Ekiden Cancelled As Race Organizers Get Too Old

Buy Me A Coffee
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

Nagoya Asian Games Test Event Canceled After Insulation Falls From Venue Ceiling

A section of insulation material fell from the ceiling of Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena, the official venue for squash competition at September's Nagoya Asian Games. There were no injuries, but the city suspended use of the arena until its safety could be guaranteed, resulting in the cancelation of the Asian Games squash test event which was scheduled to have begun on May 14. It is not yet clear whether the arena will be usable for the Asian Games as planned. According to city officials, arena staff found that the insulation material had fallen onto a work walkway 13 m above the ground on the night of May 11. The fallen material was 3.6 m long, 50 cm wide and 2.5 km thick, and was found to be waterlogged. The cause of the accident is unknown, but it is possible that it was caused by rainwater leaking in from the roof. The same insulation material is installed across the entire ceiling, and the city plans to check for the extent of the possible flooding. Asked whether the arena will be re...
1 comment
Read more

Hakone Ekiden Qualifying Race Entry Roster Sizes Increased from 14 to 16

Hakone Ekiden organizers KGRR have announced details for the qualifying half marathon for next year's 103rd Hakone Ekiden. The Yosenkai qualifying race will be held Oct. 17 in Tachikawa, Tokyo. The combined times of the 10 fastest finishers from each participating team will be used for team scoring, with the 10 fastest teams going on the the main event next January and top-placing individuals from teams that do not qualify being names to the Kanto Region Student Alliance select team. One change from previous years is that the number of runners each school can enter has been increased from 14 to 16. Teams will still only be allowed to have from 10 to 12 athletes on the starting line, but the move gives coaches greater flexibility in making the final decision on their starting rosters. No changes have been made to the qualifying times of 34:00 for 10000 m or 1:13:00 for the half marathon, and the new earlier starting time of 8:30 a.m. introduced last year in an effort to mitigate ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Nomura and Odagiri Go 3-4 at Zevenheuvelenloop 15 km

2010 Zevenheuvelenloop 15 km Nijmegen, Netherlands, 11/21/10 Women click here for complete women's results 1. Genet Getaneh (Ethiopia) - 47:53 2. Florence Kiplagat (Kenya) - 48:07 3. Sayo Nomura (Meijo Univ.) - 49:43 4. Aki Odagiri (Meijo Univ.) - 51:37 5. Benita Willis (Australia) - 51:51 Men click here for complete men's results 1. Leonard Patrick Komon (Kenya) - 41:13 - WR 2. Abera Kuma (Ethiopia) - 42:01 3. Ayele Abshiro (Ethiopia) - 42:01 4. Abraham Kiplimo (Uganda) - 43:03 5. Berhanu Delale (Ethiopia) - 43:08 ----- 14. Kazuya Watanabe (Team Sanyo Tokushu Seiko) - 45:31
Post a Comment
Read more