Nihon University has officially decided to disband its American football team following the arrest of three team members in connection with a cannabis-related incident. The controversy involves a senior team member who was arrested in August for concealing cannabis in the student dormitory and subsequently charged with violating drug control laws. Additionally, a fourth-year student faced summary prosecution for allegedly purchasing illegal drugs believed to be cannabis from a street dealer in Tokyo. On the 27th, another third-year team member was arrested on suspicion of violating the Narcotics Control Law by purchasing illegal drugs from a dealer. The university responded to the incidents by closing the student dormitory at the end of August and indefinitely suspending team activities.
According to the university’s Athletic Sports Management Committee meeting held on the 28th, the decision to disband the American football team was confirmed. The official disbandment is expected to be finalized after internal procedures within the university. As of the end of July, the team consisted of 122 players and staff members. If the disbandment is approved, the team will withdraw from the Kanto Collegiate American Football Federation.
Notification to Team Members on the 28th
According to sources, Coach Toshihide Nakamura informed team members of the decision to disband the team on the 28th. A letter obtained by NHK from the coach states, “Today (28th), I am reporting that the American football team will be disbanded based on the decision of the Athletic Sports Management Committee. To prevent external sources from learning about the disbandment beforehand, it was suggested to communicate the conclusion at least in advance.” The letter also mentions that further explanations regarding the future and the circumstances and reasons will be provided by the university.
Background of Nihon University American Football Team
Nihon University’s American football team, established in 1940, gained prominence under the leadership of Coach Mikio Shinotake, who served for over 40 years from 1959 to 2003. Known for their “Shotgun” offensive formation utilizing frequent passing plays, the team dominated the Japanese American football scene. They achieved five consecutive victories in the “Koshien Bowl,” determining the student champion from 1978, and won 21 times in total, second only to Kansai Gakuin University. Despite facing criticism for a serious foul, known as “malicious tackle,” during a regular match against Kansai Gakuin University in 2018, leading to the resignation of the coach at that time, the team underwent rebuilding efforts. In 2020, they made a comeback to the Koshien Bowl after three years and were scheduled to start the season in the Top 8 of the Kanto Collegiate League 1st Division.
Previous Incidents and University Response
The recent decision to disband the team follows a series of incidents starting from August 5th when a team member was arrested for possessing cannabis and stimulants in the student dormitory. The university initially imposed an indefinite suspension on team activities but lifted the punishment on August 10th, stating that holding the entire team responsible for individual issues was not the best solution. However, subsequent investigations revealed suspicions of other team members possessing drugs, leading to a second search of the student dormitory on August 22nd. As a result of continued issues, the university closed the student dormitory on August 31st and reinstated the indefinite suspension of team activities from September 1st. Subsequent arrests in October and November brought the total number of team members arrested to three.
Reactions from University Students
University students expressed mixed feelings about the disbandment decision. A third-year male student from the Crisis Management Department stated, “Considering the various issues that have arisen, I think disbanding is not a bad decision in terms of risk management. Since drug-related issues can affect not only the American football team but also other university students who may be easily exposed to drugs, we need to be cautious.” Another male student mentioned receiving an apology letter from the university on the 28th and expressed hope that the university is genuinely reflecting on the situation, saying, “I thought the university was apologizing properly due to the series of issues. I hope that crimes like this won’t happen again in the future.” A female freshman from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences lamented the impact on her friend, a team member, and said, “I think he is very sad about the disbandment. Knowing that he was waiting for the resumption of practice and was conducting voluntary training every day, it is distressing.”
Kanto Collegiate American Football Federation's Response
Following the drug-related incidents involving team members, the Kanto Collegiate American Football Federation decided on August 10th to temporarily suspend Nihon University’s eligibility to participate in league matches. Subsequently, the federation evaluated the eligibility for each scheduled match, leading to the cancellation of all seven league matches involving Nihon University. On November 8th, the federation held an extraordinary board meeting, deciding to extend the suspension of Nihon University’s participation for the current season and demote them from the Top 8, where top teams compete, to the “BIG8” for the next season.
Expert Opinion on the University's Decision
Ryoji Yoshida, a visiting professor specializing in sports compliance issues at Senshu University, commented on Nihon University’s decision to disband the team, stating, “One reason for the very harsh judgment is likely the drug incidents that occurred in the dormitory. The university bears a considerable burden for the operating expenses of club activities. It’s understandable that strong opinions emerge when a scandal occurs.” However, Yoshida pointed out the need for a clear distinction between team misconduct and individual member misconduct. He emphasized the importance of thorough investigation and creating a situation where there is no involvement from affected individuals before resuming activities. Yoshida also recalled his involvement in providing lectures on sportsmanship to the team members of Nihon University following the 2018 “malicious tackle” incident and expressed disappointment in the lack of continuous efforts by the university in this regard.
CJC's Opinion on the University's Decision
This move by Nihon University is very typical of Japan. Not only in university club activities like this, but also in other school life, and sometimes even in the workplace, joint responsibility is often demanded. But does this really solve the problem? Will the problem of cannabis use disappear by abolishing the clubs?
We believe that we should address each person’s situation individually rather than trying to seek joint responsible. Most of the members of the American Football team did not use cannabis, and it is unfair that such people should be involved in the problem and be deprived of the right to compete in the American football tournaments in which they have invested so much time and effort. There is nothing wrong with a university taking some responsibility for the use of illegal drugs by its own students, but this kind of solution can only be called unfair. We hope that Nihon University will immediately reverse its decision to abolish the American Football team and come up with another solution.
Reference: NHK News「日大アメフト部 廃部の方針撤回求め 現役部員が要望書提出」、Yahoo News「薬物事件めぐり日大アメフト部”廃部”方針が決定 現役部員が胸中語る 目標や夢がいきなり終わってしまい絶望感」
