TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s judo federation says head coach Ryuji Sonoda used violence against athletes at a training camp before the London Olympics.
The Kyodo news agency reported that the federation’s confirmation of Sonoda’s actions on Wednesday came a day after it was revealed 15 female judo wrestlers had sent a letter to the Japanese Olympic Committee at the end of 2012 complaining they had been subjected to harassment and physical violence by Sonoda at a pre-Olympic training camp.
The allegations are the latest in a series of embarrassing incidents for Japanese judo. Last year, two-time Olympic judo champion Masato Uchishiba was accused of raping a teenager.
Japan didn’t win a gold medal in men’s judo at the London Olympics. The only gold for the nation that invented the sport was won by Kaori Matsumoto in the women’s 126-pound division.
