/

Volleyball association may hire interim coach

Kyodo

The Japan Volleyball Association is considering a temporary replacement for Yuichi Nakagaichi after the recently appointed men’s national team coach stepped back from the role following his involvement in a serious traffic incident last year, a source close to the matter said Wednesday.

Nakagaichi ran down and seriously injured a traffic guard on Nov. 9 while driving on the Chugoku Expressway in Hiroshima Prefecture. The incident came just a month after he was named as the new men’s team coach and led to the 49-year-old being reprimanded by the JVA.

The association retained Nakagaichi as coach under the expectation that a criminal charge will be handed down within three months.

However, as no progress has been made in the case, the source said a temporary replacement may be called in if the situation remains the same ahead of the team launch on May 11.

LATEST MORE SPORTS STORIES

Ashleigh Barty hits a return to CoCo Vandeweghe in a Toray Pan Pacific Open women's first-round singles match on Tuesday at Arena Tachikawa Tachihi. Barty won 4-6, 6-4, 7-5. AFP-JIJI
Ashleigh Barty outplays doubles partner CoCo Vandeweghe in Toray Pan Pacific Open singles clash
Ashleigh Barty and CoCo Vandeweghe teamed up to win the doubles title at the U.S Open earlier this month. The two friends were on the court together again on Tuesday, but only one could walk awa...
The New England Patriots have acquired wide receiver Josh Gordon from the Cleveland Browns for a fifth-round draft pick.
Browns deal troubled receiver Josh Gordon to Patriots
Josh Gordon's strange, stuttering career will start anew in New England. Bill Belichick and Tom Brady have a new offensive toy. The Browns severed ties for good with the problema...
Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto is seen in a January 2007 file photo.
Popular fighter Norifumi 'Kid' Yamamoto dies from cancer at age 41
Popular mixed martial arts fighter Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto passed away from cancer, the Twitter account of his gym Krazy Bee announced on Tuesday. He was 41 years old.