全柔連改革 人心一新しか再生の道はない

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Mar. 25, 2013)
Scandal-tainted judo federation must revamp leadership
全柔連改革　人心一新しか再生の道はない（3月24日付・読売社説）

A rash of scandals, including cases of physical violence and verbal abuse of female judoka, has left the reputation of the All Japan Judo Federation in tatters.
　女子選手への暴力問題などで、全日本柔道連盟に対する信頼は地に落ちた。

To rebuild the disgraced judo body, the AJJF has no option other than pushing through drastic organizational reform by overhauling its leadership.
組織を立て直すには人心を一新し、改革を断行するしかあるまい。

But last week, the AJJF decided to allow all of its executives, including Chairman Haruki Uemura, to retain their positions and made no change to the lineup.
　全柔連は、上村春樹会長ら執行部の体制を見直さず、全員の留任を決めた。

Doesn't the federation have a culture of taking responsibility for these scandals? We feel disgusted by the AJJF decision that flies in the face of commonly accepted norms.
　責任を取る文化はないのか。社会通念に反する全柔連の決定に、呆(あき)れるばかりである。

Before the federation's decision, an independent panel tasked with looking into the abuse submitted on March 12 a set of reform proposals to the AJJF. The proposals pointed sternly to problems with the federation as an organization. The panel noted the federation has a dearth of human resources that "can stand for socially accepted common sense, not the common sense that works only in the judo world."
　これに先立ち、暴力問題を検証した第三者委員会が、全柔連に答申を提出した。「柔道界の常識ではなく、世間一般の常識を体現できる人材が不足している」などと、全柔連の組織としての問題点を厳しく指摘する内容だった。

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Unable to manage crisis

One committee member, psychiatrist Rika Kayama, quite rightly had a brickbat for the AJJF decision, saying her panel had worked out its recommendations after concluding the federation "wasn't functioning as an organization."
Kayama added, "Disciplinary measures should be taken against AJJF executives, including Chairman Uemura."
　執行部の留任に、第三者委のメンバーだった精神科医の香山リカさんが「（答申では）組織として機能していない、とまとめた。会長も含めて処分を検討すべきだ」と批判したのも当然だ。

The federation, which was aware of the physical and verbal abuse dished out by the coach of the national women's judo team, who eventually resigned, decided at one time to keep him in his position. Driven by a sense of distrust, 15 female national team judoka filed a complaint with the Japanese Olympic Committee against the AJJF.
　全柔連は、辞任した全日本女子前監督の暴力行為を把握しながら、いったんは前監督の続投を決めた。不信感を強めた１５人の女子選手は、日本オリンピック委員会（ＪＯＣ）への告発に至った。

The federation remains oblivious to the gravity of its problems, and has been unable to take proper steps to deal with the situation. It is obvious the federation badly lacks crisis management capability.
　問題の重大性を認識できず、適切な対策も講じられない。全柔連に危機管理能力が欠如しているのは明らかである。

Noriko Mizoguchi, a silver medalist in the women's 52-kilogram judo division at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, said the federation "has a strong tendency to concentrate power in a handful of executives, making it hard for others to oppose [their decisions]."
　バルセロナ五輪の５２キロ級銀メダリスト溝口紀子さんは、全柔連について「一握りの幹部に権力が集中しがちで、『違う』ともの申すことができにくい」と語る。

As long as the "handful of executives" remains unchanged, there is virtually no hope for an organizational transformation of the AJJF.
　この「一握りの幹部」が交代しない限り、組織の変革は望めないだろう。

Uemura said the federation "will address the challenges by working as one." However, a revamp of its leadership must be the first step toward reforming the federation.
上村会長は「一丸となって取り組む」と語るが、執行部の一新こそ改革への第一歩だ。

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Irregular use of subsidies

The independent panel also called for the AJJF to appoint executives from outside and introduce a system to adopt female executives and coaches. The federation should ensure these proposals are translated into action to get rid of its closed nature and be transformed into an organization in which everyone can candidly exchange their views.
　第三者委は、執行部に外部のメンバーを入れることや、女性理事、女性監督の起用も求めた。閉鎖体質から脱却し、風通しのよい組織に変わるには、ぜひとも実現する必要があるだろう。

Another scandal also surfaced in the AJJF: A portion of subsidies the government-backed Japan Sports Council paid to members of a federation committee for supporting promising athletes was allegedly funneled to federation executives for winning and dining for themselves and others.
　全柔連では新たな問題も明るみに出た。日本スポーツ振興センターから強化委員に支払われた助成金の一部を強化委員会に上納させ、飲食や接待に使っていた。

The disbursements were not recorded, and no receipts were kept. About 20 million yen was reportedly pooled for such usage.
　帳簿や領収書は残されておらず、プール金の残高は約２０００万円にも上るという。

Furthermore, an AJJF executive in charge of the committee for supporting promising judoka has acknowledged that he wrongly received subsidies from the council despite having no involvement in training the athletes, with part of the cash diverted to the AJJF leadership.
　さらに、強化委員を務める理事は、指導実態が全くないのに助成金を不正受給し、その一部を上納していたことを認めている。

The judo federation is an incorporated foundation for the public interest that receives preferential tax treatment. Such opaque financial management at the federation is unforgivable.
　全柔連は税制上の優遇措置を受ける公益財団法人だ。不透明な金銭管理は許されない。

It is also crucial that the AJJF get to the bottom of these problems so it can regain the public's trust.
　信頼回復には、これらの問題の徹底解明も重要だ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, March 24, 2013)
（2013年3月24日01時20分 読売新聞）