Not Even Sumo Immune From Drug Scandal
Two Russian sumo wrestlers tested positive for marijuana use in Japan less than a month after a fellow Russian wrestler was arrested for possession of pot, the country’s association of sumo wrestlers said today.It’s the first drug scandal in the roughly 2,000 year history of sumo wrestling and the latest in a rising number of marijuana incidents in Japan, a country with harsh penalties for drug offenders.
Nihon Sumo Kyokai, the Japanese sumo wrestlers association, announced today that urine samples of Russian brothers Soslan “Roho” Feliksovich Baradzov and Batraz “Hakurozan” Feliksovich Baradzov showed the presence of marijuana. The news came amid a police investigation of another Russian wrestler, Soslan “Wakanoho” Aleksandrovich Gagloev, who was arrested for illegal use and possession of cannabis last month.
Marijuana-related arrests have been on the rise in Japan in recent years, according to a report compiled by the National Police Agency. Between January and June 2008, police made 1,686 arrests involving marijuana — the highest in history and an increase of 9.1 percent. from the same period in the previous year.
Possession of marijuana is illegal in Japan, punishable by up to five years in prison with forced labor. Foreigners convicted of such crimes can face deportation and a lifetime ban from the country.
However, a loophole in the law allows people to purchase and possess marijuana seeds. A packet of 10 marijuana seeds can be bought online for $80 to $400.
Hold on, I’m still working on that image in my mind of three 500-lb. Russian sumo wrestlers working a bong. Is there a Qwik-E-Mart large enough to supply the munchies for this toker trio? Sumo’s got to be the only sport where packing on an extra ten pounds of fat from Doritos and Haagen Dazs is a good thing!
While I don’t agree with banning steroids, at least there is a reasonable case to be made for testing for steroids, as well as stimulants, and that’s the competitive edge cocaine, speed, or ‘roids can give the athlete. With marijuana, you just can’t make that case. It is only because marijuana is criminal that these athletes’ careers need to be ruined, not because they’re cheating their sport in any way.
Japan and most of Asia have really harsh cannabis laws but ironically they still recognize hemp as a traditional textile source and as far as I know, have an active hemp farming industry.
Cannabis and sumo wrestling seem to go hand and hand to me, not only do you have a recreational substance far safer than it’s legal alternative, but it is also an appetite stimulant as well.
Until the western world changes its laws and viewpoints about cannabis than the eastern world will continue its war on it as well.