'176kg Legend' Student Slapped with a Fist → "Just Hit Twice..." Absurd Official Announcement Controversy

*This content was translated by AI.

The severity of punishment for similar assault cases has completely diverged. Terunofuji Haruo (34), a Japanese sumo legend who directly beat his student, received only a light penalty, sparking continuous and intense criticism.

According to a report by Japanese media 'Post Seven' on the 30th, the Japan Sumo Association has finalized its decision to demote Yokozuna-born coach Terunofuji by two ranks and impose a 10% salary reduction for three months for the violence he unleashed on his student Hakunofuji at a drinking party in February.

Moreover, the association defended Terunofuji with logic that seemed to justify his actions, stating regarding the grounds for disciplinary action: "Terunofuji only struck the face twice with his fist and palm while seated. Therefore, his attitude and the extent of the act cannot be seen as extremely malicious." It further claimed that the victim, Hakunofuji, was at fault for inappropriate behavior toward a woman present, and that the action was taken to discipline him.

However, this decision has raised issues regarding the consistency of the punishment. The core issue is the alleged discriminatory treatment compared to Hakuhou Sho, also a former Yokozuna. Hakuhou was forced to leave the association after enduring the humiliation of his stable being closed for allegedly turning a blind eye to his students' assaults. In contrast, Terunofuji, who directly struck and slapped his student, retained his position as the stable master and avoided even the severe penalty of a master change.

Local media pointed out that while Terunofuji's voluntary reporting was taken into account as a mitigating factor, the criticism that the punishment was extremely lenient is strong. They questioned whether it was sufficiently verified whether he struck with bare hands only or if there was any kissing of the mouth in the testimony, and noted that the teacher's responsibility is significant for drinking until his student, who has a bad drinking habit, became intoxicated.

The temperature difference in this punishment ultimately stems from the scale of the stable's power. Currently, Terunofuji's Isegahama stable is at the highest level within the association, with 32 active wrestlers. In contrast, Hakuhou's Miyagino stable has relatively weaker influence, leading to the prevailing analysis that it became a scapegoat for a precedent-setting disciplinary action.

As a result of this punishment, the scenario of reopening Miyagino stable, which Hakuhou's students had hoped for, has effectively disappeared. Moreover, Hakunofuji, the victim of Terunofuji's assault, was formerly a student of Hakuhou but joined Terunofuji's stable after the stable was closed.

Furthermore, some have raised suspicions that the Sumo Association adjusted the severity of the punishment to curb Terunofuji's large-scale new business project worth 2.5 billion yen (approximately 23.1 billion won). Terunofuji's side is reportedly developing sumo tour packages for foreign tourists, and the association has been wary, stating that he is "using the sacred sumo world for profit." There are also signs of moves to pressure Terunofuji's independent business expansion, starting with this disciplinary action.

In the past, the Sumo Association directly declared an end to violence and promised to root out the pervasive culture of assault in the sumo world. However, due to this incident, the sumo world finds it difficult to avoid criticism that it has traded morality and honor for power.

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*This content was translated by AI.