Nippon Sport Science University announced Wednesday it had dismissed the director of its ekiden road relay team over power harassment and violence against its members, the latest in a string of scandals that have rocked the country’s sporting world.
According to the university, a private school known for cultivating world-class athletes, Masaaki Watanabe is alleged to have kicked students’ legs and grabbed students by the collar.
Although Watanabe admitted to the allegations in general, the 55-year-old was subsequently dismissed for “lacking aptitude for student guidance,” since he did not fully recognize his behavior as inappropriate.