Hakuhou caught watching Judo

[Kintamayama 45,530]

Hakuhou was seen on social media at the the Budokan watching the Olympic judo matches. "This is a huge problem," said Shibatayama Oyakata. "It's no misunderstanding. It's lack of common sense. He is not abiding by the virus rules. It's a total disregard of the rules. The virus is wreaking havoc and he doesn't seem to get it. This is not something small like a misunderstanding. It's a national decision after all.." he added. "The government has decided there would be no spectators. Seeing a  picture of Hakuhou as a spectator is very bad,. If he wanted to go , he should have officially presented us with a written request for deliberation. If it were an official request from the Government that's one thing, but a request from the Mongolian committee would not be enough.. Does he know someone from the organizing committee? From the JOC? His being there is funny. All spectators are banned from the venues, so why should he be different? I wonder if he understands the gravity of his mistake here. If he doesn't understand it, he shouldn't be a Yokozuna! We just had the YDC scold him for his 14th day un- Yokozuna -like actions, and right after that, he goes and does this? It wouldn't be strange if anyone questions if he is worthy of being a Yokozuna, or even if he is  worthy of being a Kyokai member! We now can't say the top guy is patient, so you guys should be patient as well!" added Shibatayama. A picture of Hakuhou was posted on July 28th on the head of the International Judo  Federation's Chairman Marius Vizer's Twitter account. There was a picture of him sitting between Japanese medalist Ono and Chairman Vizer. A lot of questions being asked  on social media, most of them along the lines of "Who the  %^^&^% does he think he is??"

Hakuhou is the Mongolian Olympic Ambassador and he was present at the signing of the partnership between the Olympic committees of the two countries back in September of 2015. He was probably there  In that capacity. A phone call to Miyagino beya asking if the Oyakata allowed this, Miyagino Oyakata answered that he could not comment on that.  

So Hakuhou is taking part in the Olympics after all.

 

Edited August 3, 2021 by Kintamayama

[Michishige 66]

So if his being there was as the Mongolian Olympic ambassador, could that possibly make all of this a misunderstanding? One would hate to see him banished from sumo altogether over this. 

[Kintamayama 45,530]

  On 02/08/2021 at 14:56, Michishige said:

So if his being there was as the Mongolian Olympic ambassador, could that possibly make all of this a misunderstanding? One would hate to see him banished from sumo altogether over this. 

Not according to the fuming Shibatayama Oyakata..

[Michishige 66]

  On 02/08/2021 at 14:58, Kintamayama said:

Not according to the fuming Shibatayama Oyakata..

He’s only one board member…I suppose we can hope he isn’t representative of the rest (though that’s probably silly on my part).

[Kaminariyuki 500]

It will be interesting to see if there's anything to this certainly. There is no question that Hakuho is going to have a more difficult time as an oyakata than he has had as a rikishi.

[Kintamayama 45,530]

  On 02/08/2021 at 15:00, Michishige said:

He’s only one board member…I suppose we can hope he isn’t representative of the rest (though that’s probably silly on my part).

OR, it just could be some chest-banging on the part of the Kyokai who need to be seen taking this very seriously. I don't think the Kyokai will enter into a head on collision with the Mongolian Olympic Committee.

But I think they are serious. We shall see.

Edited August 2, 2021 by Kintamayama

[Asashosakari 19,668]

Weird reaction by Shibatayama. Even if it's the case that Hakuho didn't ask for permission, or didn't ask in the right way, this is an international incident potential kind of thing where the proper public reaction probably would have been to play it down rather than up. It's not like it would have been difficult to portray Hakuho's visit as official rather than private, given his aforementioned connections to the Olympic Movement.

[Seiyashi 4,108]

The key, it would appear, is what Hakuho thought he was doing. If he was invited by the MOC to appear as a guest or a medal presenter or something in a formal capacity, then it seems a whole lot of hot air from Shibatayama. It might also be the board trying to pull a fast one to send the message "You're not the only yokozuna we have any more" - that smacks very heavily of retrospective rulings, but that's not logic that has stopped the NSK before. Because apart from the rule against spectators, what rule has he broken that the NSK has power to punish him for?

But we all seem to be assuming that he was indeed invited by the MOC in some capacity. If, as Shibatayama sort of makes it sound, he just snuck in leveraging on his connections, then that's a different matter altogether, although I wouldn't put it past Hakuho just simply not caring about what the board or the YDC say any more.

That said, anyone else getting flashbacks to a certain soccer match played allegedly on behalf of a joint request by Mongolia and Japan's Foreign Affairs Ministry?

[Kaminariyuki 500]

  On 02/08/2021 at 15:22, Seiyashi said:

That said, anyone else getting flashbacks to a certain soccer match played allegedly on behalf of a joint request by Mongolia and Japan's Foreign Affairs Ministry?

LOL, now I'm trying to figure out a way to search for this story...  

 

[Churaumi 745]

  On 02/08/2021 at 15:22, Seiyashi said:

but that's not logic that has stopped the NSK 

Using the words "logic" and "NSK" in the same sentence LOL

[code_number3 708]

At least he had the accreditation name tag, even it was hidden in his yukata.

But yeah, I think the reason Hakuho didn't have his dohyo-iri during opening ceremony was because NSK simply didn't allow Hakuho to do anything outside sumo (due to Covid is NSK's reason)

Soooo, suspension, retirement recommendation, or even dismissal for Hakuho?

[Kaminariyuki 500]

  On 02/08/2021 at 16:35, code_number3 said:

At least he had the accreditation name tag, even it was hidden in his yukata.

But yeah, I think the reason Hakuho didn't have his dohyo-iri during opening ceremony was because NSK simply didn't allow Hakuho to do anything outside sumo (due to Covid is NSK's reason)

Soooo, suspension, retirement recommendation, or even dismissal for Hakuho?

Can you post a link t the photo? Or post the photo here? NO worries if that's too much trouble but I didn't see it on a quick search, although I am not a Twitter person.

[Octofuji 369]

The photo is on Herouth's Twitter. You can see the corner peeking out of his yukata if you look closely. And the strap round his neck.

 https://mobile.twitter.com/SumoFollower/status/1422159655480987656/photo/1

[Asojima 2,874]

What was the olympic sport that his father medalled in? This may have been his way of honoring his late father.  It was one of his olympic goals.

[Kintamayama 45,530]

  On 02/08/2021 at 16:57, Asojima said:

What was the olympic sport that his father medalled in? This may have been his way of honoring his late father.  It was one of his olympic goals.

Wrestling I think. 

[code_number3 708]

  On 02/08/2021 at 16:57, Asojima said:

What was the olympic sport that his father medalled in? This may have been his way of honoring his late father.  It was one of his olympic goals.

It was wrestling

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrestling_at_the_1968_Summer_Olympics_–_Men's_freestyle_87_kg

On NHK’s Sunday Sports on the day he won the yusho, he was interviewed and (I reckon) wore his father’s silver olympic medal.

Edited August 2, 2021 by code_number3

[Kenneth Minami 70]

They are absolutely crazy.

[Kaminariyuki 500]

  On 02/08/2021 at 16:51, Octofuji said:

The photo is on Herouth's Twitter. You can see the corner peeking out of his yukata if you look closely. And the strap round his neck.

 https://mobile.twitter.com/SumoFollower/status/1422159655480987656/photo/1

That is a nice yukata he's wearing. If he goes down for this, well, he looked good doing it.Does anyone know if Shohei Ono is a sumo or Hakuho fan?

[Kenneth Minami 70]

This situation represents the intellectual level of NSK and shows that they are jealous of his achievements that they do not have. Looks like just brain-ducking. 
 

Of course Yokozuna should be responsible for all his actions much more than jonokuchi wrestler, but there is no tradition to constantly comment every Hakuho’s action, including things that do not violate rules such as his behavior on day 14 - it’s not correct for Yokozuna, but it also doesn’t go against the rules of shikiri. As well as kachiage. Which were not hizi-uchi (elbow hit)  but kachiage.

Hakuho is the national team ambassador, he is not the last man connected to Judo and he has the right to attend these games, even if he is a jonokuchi rikishi or yobidashi.

From the point of view of the virus, he did nothing risky, since there are no spectators at the Games.

[Kenneth Minami 70]

I think Shibatayama who was one of the worst Yokozuna in sumo and as oyakata was regularly beating Dayubu should not be in NSK, but not Hakuho)

Hakuho did a lot of bad things that go against traditions of sumo, remember situation with Mono-ii when he didn’t agree that he lost, but in terms of justice he was always right. Not like Asashoryu, who played football when he was having medical treatment in Mongolia…

[Kenneth Minami 70]

  On 02/08/2021 at 17:32, Kaminariyuki said:

That is a nice yukata he's wearing. If he goes down for this, well, he looked good doing it.Does anyone know if Shohei Ono is a sumo or Hakuho fan?

He is a good friend of Hakuho.

[Chankomafuji 51]

It surely will be yet another unpopular opinion, but I start to question myself why would Hakuho pursue a career as an Oyakata at all. 
Imagine a day where Hakuho announces his retirement and completely cuts his relationship with the NSK and instead do some private project for his future, denying this pseudo-zealous clique that is the NSK many opportunities to defame him. I want Hakuho to give them a small hint of such possibility just to see what the reaction will be.

[rhyen 1,846]

  On 02/08/2021 at 17:32, Kaminariyuki said:

That is a nice yukata he's wearing. If he goes down for this, well, he looked good doing it.Does anyone know if Shohei Ono is a sumo or Hakuho fan?

Shohei Ono is a yokozuna fan? He has taken photos with all 5 yokozuna after Rio 2016

[Asashosakari 19,668]

  On 02/08/2021 at 20:52, Chankomafuji said:

It surely will be yet another unpopular opinion, but I start to question myself why would Hakuho pursue a career as an Oyakata at all. 
Imagine a day where Hakuho announces his retirement and completely cuts his relationship with the NSK and instead do some private project for his future, denying this pseudo-zealous clique that is the NSK many opportunities to defame him. I want Hakuho to give them a small hint of such possibility just to see what the reaction will be.

What reaction other than "shrug, life goes on" do you expect? He'd be a lost asset, certainly, but it's hardly like the future of the Kyokai depends on Hakuho's presence as a suit.

[dada78641 884]

  On 02/08/2021 at 14:21, Kintamayama said:

"The government has decided there would be no spectators. Seeing a  picture of Hakuhou as a spectator is very bad,. If he wanted to go , he should have officially presented us with a written request for deliberation. If it were an official request from the Government that's one thing, but a request from the Mongolian committee would not be enough.. Does he know someone from the organizing committee? From the JOC?

Did the thought never enter into Shibatayama's mind that maybe he should get some clarification on any of these things before running to the media crying? Maybe then he wouldn't have to openly gab to the media about how he "probably pulled some strings" to get in when he has absolutely no knowledge of what happened yet. This is rando on Twitter level speculation. What an absolutely hamfisted reaction.

He's wearing a name tag in the photo, so obviously he's not just there to watch. Go and find out who approved it and why, and maybe then draw your conclusions.

Can't believe these are the same people who banned wrestlers from using social media because they "might say something stupid."