{{Short description|Sumo wrestler}} {{Infobox sumo wrestler | image = <!-- only free-content images are allowed for depicting living people - see WP:NONFREE --> | native_name = 白露山 佑太 | name = Hakurozan Yūta | birth_name = Batraz Feliksovich Boradzov | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|02|6}} | birth_place = Ordzhonikidze, North Ossetian ASSR, Russian SFSR, USSR | height = {{height|meters=1.89}} | weight = {{convert|137|kg|lb|abbr=on}} | heya = Kitanoumi, formerly Hatachiyama | rank = | record = 233-218-0 | debut = May 2002 | highestrank = Maegashira 2 (July 2006) | retireddate = September, 2008 | yushos = | prizes = | goldstars = | update = September 2008 }} '''Hakurozan Yūta''' (born February 6, 1982, as '''Batraz Feliksovich Boradzov''', {{langx|ru|Батраз Феликсович Борадзов}}) is a former sumo wrestler. The highest rank he reached was ''maegashira'' 2. His older brother is also a former sumo wrestler under the name of Rohō of Ōtake stable. In September 2008, both were dismissed from professional sumo after testing positive for cannabis.
==Career== Hakurozan began wrestling at the age of 14, winning the world junior championship aged 16. He started sumo at age 18, winning the Moscow over 100 kg championship.
He came to Japan in February 2002 with his brother. They had intended to join the same stable, but sumo regulations limit the number of foreign wrestlers to one per stable, so Batraz joined Hatachiyama stable while Soslan entered Ōtake stable. As with his brother, his ''shikona'' contains the character 露, which can mean ''Russia''. Hatachiyama stable folded upon the death of its stablemaster, former ''ōzeki'' Hokutenyū, and Hakurozan joined the Kitanoumi stable.
Hakurozan fought his first bout in May 2002, rising to ''jūryō'' in September 2004, and ''makuuchi'' in July 2005. After a 10–5 result in May 2006 he reached ''maegashira'' 2, but a disastrous 2-13 the following tournament took him down to ''maegashira'' 10. He clung on to his top division status with an 8–7 mark at'' maegashira'' 14 in January 2007, but a poor 5–10 record in March meant he was demoted back to ''jūryō'' for the May 2007 tournament. He achieved nine wins there, which was enough to earn promotion to the top division in July. However, hampered by chronic knee problems, he could manage only three wins in the November 2007 tournament and was demoted to the second division once again. Scraping by with two 8-7 marks in the first two tournaments of 2008, he returned to ''makuuchi'' at ''maegashira'' 15 in May. Once again he could not maintain his top division ranking, only managing to win four matches.
==Fighting style== Hakurozan often relied on sidestepping at the ''tachi-ai,'' like his brother. He frequently employed pull-down techniques such as ''hataki-komi'' and ''hiki-otoshi''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Top Ten Techniques Used By Hakurozan During The Last Six Tournaments |publisher=Japan Sumo Association |url=http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/ozumo_meikan/rikishi_joho/rikishi.php?A=2487 |accessdate=2008-05-27 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515210443/http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/ozumo_meikan/rikishi_joho/rikishi.php?A=2487 |archivedate=2008-05-15 }}</ref> Although ''yorikiri'', or force out, was listed on his Sumo Association profile as his favourite technique, with a ''migi-yotsu'' or left hand outside and right hand inside grip as his preference, he ended up using ''hataki-komi'' more than any other winning technique throughout his career.
==Cannabis scandal and dismissal== On September 2, 2008, he and his brother Rohō had a positive test result for cannabis.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://ca.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idCAT12793120080902|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080921072154/http://ca.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idCAT12793120080902|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 21, 2008|title=Two sumo wrestlers test positive for marijuana|publisher=Reuters|date=2008-09-02|accessdate=2008-09-02}}</ref> This test occurred less than two weeks after fellow Russian Wakanohō was sacked after being arrested for cannabis possession, and the surprise inspection was taken on 69 ''jūryō'' and higher ranked wrestlers including the two ''yokozuna''.<ref>{{cite web|title= Roho, brother deny smoking dope|publisher=Yomiuri Shimbun|url=http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/sports/20080904TDY01306.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20080924022729/http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/sports/20080904TDY01306.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2008-09-24|date=2008-09-04|accessdate=2008-09-04 }}</ref> Although the Metropolitan Police Department questioned the two wrestlers and searched their rooms, no further legal action was taken because it is not illegal to fail a drug test under Japanese law.<ref>{{cite web|title= Russian sumo wrestlers expelled for marijuana |publisher=Associated Press|url=http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_JAPAN_SUMO_SCANDAL_ASOL-?SITE=YOMIURI&SECTION=HOSTED_ASIA&TEMPLATE=ap_national.html|date=2008-09-08|accessdate=2008-09-08}}</ref>
On September 6, Hakurozan and Rohō failed a second, more detailed set of doping tests conducted by an internationally certified laboratory, Mitsubishi Chemical Medience Corp, which showed levels of the drug far beyond what could be consumed by secondhand smoke.<ref name="nyt">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/08/sports/08iht-sumo8.15975774.html|title=Marijuana: Russian wrestlers banned for life, top official resigns|date=8 September 2008|work=New York Times|accessdate=13 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title= Kitanoumi stays mum over tests|publisher=Yomiuri Shimbun|url=http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20080908TDY02306.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20080917115709/http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20080908TDY02306.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2008-09-17|date=2008-09-08|accessdate=2008-09-08 }}</ref>
On September 8, the Japan Sumo Association held a meeting of the board of directors and decided on the dismissals of Rohō and Hakurozan.<ref>{{cite news|title=Japan bans Russian sumo wrestlers|publisher=CNN|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/09/08/japan.sumo.ap/index.html|date=2008-09-08|accessdate=2008-09-09 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080914163348/http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/09/08/japan.sumo.ap/index.html |archivedate=2008-09-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Kitanoumi resigns over pot scandals / JSA kicks out 2 Russian sibling sumo wrestlers|publisher=Yomiuri Shimbun|url=http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20080909TDY01304.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20080928032618/http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20080909TDY01304.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2008-09-28|date=2008-09-09|accessdate=2008-09-09 }}</ref> The chairman of the Sumo Association, Kitanoumi, resigned to take responsibility as Hakurozan belonged to his stable. Kitanoumi said that Hakurozan "had told me he had not used it, and I believed him."<ref name="nyt"/> Both wrestlers moved out of their respective stables but stayed in Japan on short term visas and continued to deny any wrongdoing.
On October 28, the brothers filed a lawsuit against the Sumo Association with the Tokyo District Court seeking to revoke their dismissals, claiming the tests were administered incorrectly.<ref>{{cite web|title=2 Russian ex-sumo wrestlers seek revocation of dismissals|url=http://www.japantoday.com/category/sports/view/2-russian-ex-sumo-wrestlers-seek-revocation-of-dismissals|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605131507/http://www.japantoday.com/category/sports/view/2-russian-ex-sumo-wrestlers-seek-revocation-of-dismissals|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-06-05|publisher=Japan Today|date=2008-10-29|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> They also sought 100 million yen in damages. Their demands were rejected by the court in March 2009, the judge saying "“It is recognisable that the two used marijuana...and the use of marijuana was an act to damage trust of the association."<ref name="today">{{cite web|title=Court backs sumo body over dismissal of 2 Russian wrestlers|publisher=Japan Today|url=http://www.japantoday.com/category/sports/view/court-backs-sumo-body-over-dismissal-of-2-russian-wrestlers|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605134324/http://www.japantoday.com/category/sports/view/court-backs-sumo-body-over-dismissal-of-2-russian-wrestlers|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 June 2011|date=17 March 2009|accessdate=17 March 2009}}</ref> The lawyer for the brothers indicated that they would appeal the ruling.<ref name="today"/>
The brothers reappeared in court on June 29, 2009, testifying for two and a half hours and criticising the conduct of the tests once again. Cross-examination of witnesses began on August 31, with Isenoumi Oyakata, Tomozuna Oyakata and Otake Oyakata among those called. Kitanoumi, Hakrozan's stablemaster, testified on December 21, saying he voted for expulsion "mainly because Hakurozan was my deshi and I didn't want to be seen as protecting him." Unlike his brother, Hakurozan was not in attendance as he has returned to Russia.
The court found in favour of the Sumo Association on April 19, 2010, with the judge saying, "It has been proven that urine samples which showed positive results for marijuana were theirs, and it is unthinkable that they were mixed up with samples of others... the association's decision to dismiss them was adequate given that the use of illegal drugs had become a serious social problem."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/international/index.ssf?/base/international-29/127167223937650.xml&storylist=international|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120905174532/http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/international/index.ssf?/base/international-29/127167223937650.xml&storylist=international|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 September 2012|title=Court says firing of ex-sumo wrestlers over marijuana is valid|date=19 April 2010|publisher=Associated Press|accessdate=20 April 2010}}</ref> The District Court's ruling was upheld by the Tokyo High Court on November 18, 2010.<ref>{{cite web|title=Court again rules firing of sumo wrestlers over marijuana valid |url=http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/sports/news/20101119p2g00m0sp033000c.html |publisher=Mainichi Daily News |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101123042103/http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/sports/news/20101119p2g00m0sp033000c.html |archivedate=23 November 2010 |date=19 November 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Career record== {{Sumo record box start|Hakurozan Yūta<ref>{{cite web | author= | title=Hakurozan Yūta Rikishi Information | publisher=Sumo Reference | url=http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi.aspx?shikona=Hakurozan&heya=-1&shusshin=-1&b=-1&high=-1&hd=-1&entry=-1&intai=-1&sort=1 | date= | accessdate=2013-05-24}}</ref>}} {{Sumo record year start link|2002}} {{Basho}} {{Basho}} {{Basho|MAEZUMOU}} {{Basho|jk|41|e|6|1}} {{Basho|jo|70|e|5|2}} {{Basho|jo|28|w|6|1}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2003}} {{Basho|sa|64|w|6|1}} {{Basho|sa|9|w|5|2}} {{Basho|ma|49|w|5|2}} {{Basho|ma|32|e|3|4}} {{Basho|ma|40|w|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|33|w|3|4}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2004}} {{Basho|ma|37|w|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|28|w|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|23|e|6|1}} {{Basho|ma|5|w|5|2}} {{Basho|j|14|e|8|7}} {{Basho|j|12|w|8|7}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2005}} {{Basho|j|7|e|10|5}} {{Basho|j|1|w|6|9}} {{Basho|j|3|w|10|5}} {{Basho|m|14|w|8|7}} {{Basho|m|12|e|7|8}} {{Basho|m|13|e|10|5}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2006}} {{Basho|m|4|e|4|11}} {{Basho|m|12|e|9|6}} {{Basho|m|8|w|10|5}} {{Basho|m|2|e|2|13}} {{Basho|m|10|w|5|10}} {{Basho|m|14|w|7|8}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2007}} {{Basho|m|14|w|8|7}} {{Basho|m|13|e|5|10}} {{Basho|j|2|w|9|6}} {{Basho|m|12|e|6|9}} {{Basho|m|15|e|9|6}} {{Basho|m|12|w|3|12}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start link|2008}} {{Basho|j|3|w|8|7}} {{Basho|j|2|e|8|7}} {{Basho|m|15|e|4|11}} {{Basho|j|4|w|7|8}} {{Basho|DISMISSED}} {{Basho}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record box end}}
==See also== *Glossary of sumo terms *List of non-Japanese sumo wrestlers *List of past sumo wrestlers
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Goo Sumo|A=|2487}} * [http://www.fsinet.or.jp/~sumo/profile/1/20050702.htm complete biography and basho results (Japanese)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150308044722/http://www.fsinet.or.jp/~sumo/profile/1/20050702.htm |date=2015-03-08 }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hakurozan, Yuta}} Category:1982 births Category:2008 sumo cannabis scandal Category:Living people Category:Ossetian sumo wrestlers Category:Sportspeople from Vladikavkaz Category:Russian expatriates in Japan Category:Sportspeople banned for life