Ex-Nihon University Coaches Expelled from Football

May 30, 2018

Tokyo- The board of the Kantoh Collegiate Football Association on Tuesday decided to expel two former coaches of Nihon University's American football team over a violent hit by one of its players.

The two, who received the harshest penalty the association of college football teams in Tokyo and neighboring prefectures can mete out, are former head coach Masato Uchida and former assistant coach Tsutomu Inoue.

The association also decided to ban the Nihon University Phoenix as well as the defensive player who made the hit from playing in official matches until the end of the 2018 season.

The suspension can be lifted if it is confirmed there is no risk of a similar incident occurring and a drastic organizational reform is made in the team.

Phoenix defensive coordinator Taku Mori received the second-harshest punishment of disqualification.

During a match in Tokyo on May 6, the Phoenix player injured a quarterback from the Kwansei Gakuin University Fighters with a late tackle.

The Phoenix player told a news conference on May 22 that he was instructed by his team's coaching staff to injure the quarterback. Uchida and Inoue denied the player's claims the following day.

The association concluded Tuesday that the claims by Uchida and Inoue are false and not based on fact, saying they are not trustworthy.

Uchida had explained there was a perception gap between the coaching staff and the player, but there was no such gap, the association said.

The association's board reached the decisions, based on hearings with people concerned.

Phoenix chief Naoto Kato said in a statement that the team takes the decisions seriously and will respond in good faith.

The association reported its decisions to Japan Sports Agency Commissioner Daichi Suzuki.

Suzuki said: "Systematic illegal conduct had happened. Such conduct can never be condoned in sports." The collegiate association should work hard to prevent any repeat of the incident, he said.

In a statement issued before the association's disciplinary measures were announced, Phoenix players said: "We've many times discussed why this happened. We've yet to find a clear answer, but want to continue discussions." Jiji Press