The Hino Red Dolphins, which belongs to Division 2, which is the second division of Rugby League One, had a scandal last year in which players and staff got drunk and broke things at restaurants and sexually harassed them at the training camp in Oita Prefecture. The team has announced that it will suspend its activities indefinitely.
Regarding this issue, the Red Dolphins held a press conference on the 3rd, including Director Tokuichi Shiga, and explained the circumstances so far.
According to it, more than 20 players and staff visited a restaurant in Beppu City, Oita Prefecture, where a training camp was held at the end of October last year. It means that you have sexually harassed someone.
After that, he settled with the store and paid for the damage.
In response to this problem, the Red Dolphins decided to suspend the team's activities indefinitely on the 3rd, and the game with the Shimizu Koto Blue Sharks scheduled for the 4th was cancelled.
Red Dolphins Manager Shiga apologized, "I deeply apologize to the fans and everyone involved in League One for the inconvenience."
On the other hand, this scandal was announced after it was reported in a daily weekly magazine, and the report to the internal compliance department was delayed, and the report to League One was about three months from the day the problem occurred. It was just the 28th of last month.
Regarding this kind of response, General Manager Shiga said, "When we negotiated a settlement with the store, we had set up a confidentiality clause. It was clearly inappropriate and should have been reported to the department specializing in compliance and the department of public relations. I was told, 'You should report it as soon as possible,'" he said.
The Hino Red Dolphins are a team with a long history, rooted in the Hino Motors Rugby Club, which was founded in 1950. This season, they have finished 4 games in Division 2 with 1 win, 3 losses, and 7 points, placing them 4th out of 6 teams. .
Japan Rugby Union Executive Director "We regret the delay in reporting and take it seriously"
Kensuke Iwabuchi, managing director of the Japan Rugby Union, commented, "We apologize for the great concern and inconvenience caused to fans and related parties regarding the cancellation of the game due to the suspension of the Hino Red Dolphins' activities. We, along with League One, are currently confirming the facts of the reports, but we regret the delay in reporting to League One and our association from the date of the incident, and we take it very seriously. In the future, we will cooperate with League One and consider necessary measures."