FILE - In this Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013 file, Japanese women's judo national team head coach Ryuji Sonoda listens to a reporter's question during a press conference in Tokyo Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013. Sonoda resigned over accusations he physically abused female judoka at a training camp before the London Olympics. Just when Tokyo was getting a boost in its bid to host the 2020 Olympics, this ugly scandal has surfaced within the Japanese sporting culture and threatened to undermine the nation’s hosting hopes. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi, File)
JOC punishes Japan judo over coaches' violence
Published: 03:29:56 PM, Tue 19 March 2013 UTC
TOKYO (AP) — The Japanese Olympic Committee has cut funding for the All Japan Judo Federation and ordered it to take preventive measures as punishment for coaches' abusive training of female judokas.
The JOC says on Tuesday it cancelled a 250 million yen ($2.6 million) annual subsidy for the federation. The JOC directive also included a ban on violent coaching, more transparency in team selections, and increased hiring of female coaches.
The issue surfaced after 15 female judokas accused former national coaches of harassment and physical violence during training before the London Olympics.
The JOC aims to eliminate similar abuses as Tokyo vies to host the 2020 Games.
Corporal punishment in Japanese sports has come under the spotlight since a Japanese high school student committed suicide in December after repeated beatings by his basketball coach.
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