Japanese club plunged into scandal over bar incident
The Japan rugby side Hino Red Dolphins has suspended its operations following a media report that has accused its players of stripping, groping waitresses, and smashing glasses at a bar in southwestern Japan’s Oita.
The club – which once boasted All Black No.8 Kieran Read among its number – has withdrawn from its upcoming match in Japan’s second division.
The Red Dolphins issued a statement acknowledging the media attention surrounding the scandal and apologized for causing inconvenience and concern. However, the club did not provide any details about the allegations or respond to the claims.
According to a report in the Bunshun tabloid, the players, who were allegedly drunk, stripped and harassed female waitresses, damaged glasses and equipment at the bar.
The players attempted to avoid punishment by claiming to be from another club. The bar later demanded JPY 3 million ($23,000), and after receiving it, demanded an additional JPY 3 million, leading the players to hire lawyers.
This is not the first time the Red Dolphins have faced controversy regarding their player’s behavior. In 2020, a player from New Zealand was arrested on suspicion of cocaine use, leading the Japan Rugby Football Union to cancel three rounds of matches and commit to educating teams on drug laws.
Hino Red Dolphins forward Joel Everson was arrested after police saw him behaving in an unusual manner in the early hours of the morning in the central Tokyo district Roppongi, an infamous party spot. In a statement on their website at the time, the club wrote of its “apologies for scandals by our members”.
The suspension of the Red Dolphins’ activities is effective immediately, and it remains uncertain when, or if, the club will resume operations. The incident has sparked widespread concern and criticism, and the club’s management is under pressure to address the allegations and take appropriate action.
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The weather was dreadful but the playing surface was great so there is no real excuse for such another poor standard of play from both sides. Dragons just the better team. But, what a shocking decision by the TMO not to award the Fifita try. This pretty much sums up Welsh rugby with poor teams and poor officials. The WRU have a lot of work to do and it needs to be done quickly to avoid rugby being lost to our future generations.
Go to commentsNo chance of Borthwick selecting any young talent. He announced his selection policy from the outset with naming a poor OF as Captain, retaining an equally poor Youngs and Vunipola brothers when there were many better EQP in the Premiership. SB revival of Leicester was based on SA muscle and a terrific Welsh flanker he has generally ignored young English talent.
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