Earlier this week it surfaced that 15 top female judo athletes, including judoka who took part in last summer's London Olympics, sent complaints to both the All Japan Judo Federation and the Japanese Olympic Committee stating that they had been subjected to harassment and physical violence by head coach Mr. Ryuji Sonoda and another coach.

In response to a growing public outcry, the AJJF on Wednesday publicly eacknowledged that it had "reprimanded" Mr. Sonoda and the other coach in mid-January without dismissing them.

Under increasing pressure, Mr. Sonoda announced his resignation on Thursday.