Kansai University’s new investigation report regarding Oda's case | Golden Skate

Kansai University’s new investigation report regarding Oda's case

Moaray

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 24, 2017
Kansai University recently has released an investigation regarding the Oda's allegations towards Hamada's 'moral harassment’.

KSU said the former director of KSU skating club, Nobunari Oda, requested to fire Mie hamada for three particular reasons: Changing the practising time, disobeying and changing the rules and conducting dangerous training methods.KSU decided to investigate the allegations to Hamada by hearing the voices on both sides and surveying with the other relevant parties. According to KSU, after a series of investigation and survey, KSU said there is no obvious evidence for Hamada's 'moral harassment', and it is inappropriate for KSU to accept and support Oda's allegations in a comprehensive manner.

1.Changing the practising time
For the sake of ensuring enough school-times for the kids, Oda decided to change the practising time from afternoon to the early morning, but it caused a series of problems, from Hamada. Hamada said the decision-maker and the leaders of the school did not present during the morning training time, it also bothered and confused the kid who has to catch the early bus for the morning-practise and seriously affected the training for speed skating and ice hockey; Hamada and the other coaches decided to make a survey among the parents, the parents wanted to bring back the old schedule.

Other coaches also said the new training schedule causes many complaints among the parents, it also contradicted the purpose of implementing the new training schedule: It could not ensuring enough school-times and caused a lot of lates of the school. Therefore, Hamada and the other coaches decided to bring back the old schedule on May 22nd. 2 days before the bring-back-the-old-schedule day, Hamada had already told Oda for their decisions, and Oda said Yes in a very impatient manner.

2. Conducting a dangerous training method
According to Oda, he said that Hamada team violated the rules by letting 5 people do the 'figure-8 training' on the rink. It should be three people on the rink to do the 'figure-8 training' and Oda wanted to dissuade them to stop, but Hamada ignored him at all.

But Hamada said she was not here on that day, the other coaches witnessed that it was the other team, not Team Hamada, who got critics from Oda.

3.Changing the rules
Oda said he changed the rule by introducing stricter rules about requiring stricter academic performance in evaluations, and negotiated with most of the coaches and management of the club but met with strong opposition against the rule and he didn't know why.

Hamada insisted that students, whether they want to suspend their study for training or not should be their own personal right. Also, Hamada questioned some of the methods, especially the young athletes are not allowed to practise on the rink with poor academic performance can truly help the kids academically and physically. What’s more, some of the athletes might have a rest or holiday during the May’s holiday, they would certainly miss some of the classes, they might be not allowed to practice on the rinks according to Oda’s rules

Other Coaches also questioned the methods about not allowing the student with poorer grades to practise on ice is inappropriate and some young athletes also showed their concern on this rule, but Ode refused to negotiate with them.


http://www.kansai-u.ac.jp/mt/archives/2019/12/post_4786.html

Sorry for my poor Japanese, I am not the native Japanese speaker and might get some mistakes or missed some of the information in translating.
All I can say is that What KSU said and investigated were totally against Oda's allegations towards Hamada, and It seems that Oda should be the problematic one with his managing style and autocratic manner, and It was Hamada that fixing any mistake that the new policies Oda put forward.
What do you think of the investigation, guys?
 

ladyjane

Medalist
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Country
Netherlands
Well my Japanese is even worse, as I don't read or speak the language at all, and I am just pleased you have translated this. I am in two minds about this whole thing. My first one is that it seems Hamada did no wrong. Especially with regard to the changing practicing times, it seems parents didn't like those changes either. That should be important. I have no view on what are dangerous training methods or whether Hamada was present. And on the third issue, my mind boggles, but it seems Hamada seems to be more the coach who thinks of the students themselves, and their own goals. But of course academic results are also important.

My second mind (I know, that's not a proper way to say it but most will get what I mean) is that it is an investigation by the same University that didn't act on earlier complaints. A bit like the 'farmer testing his own meat' (Dutch expression about letting the control being the same person as the one under investigation). However, it also looks like they've taken the allegations very seriously which could mean I am being too negative on this investigation.

On the whole Hamada seems to come out of this with flying colours, which would be in line with how we generally see her on screen: as a very supportive coach. But Oda always seemed to be such a nice guy too (He's always nice in commentaries and of course I'll never forget his great skate at JO 2018 which was so joyful). So, in the end I don't really know for sure, but I tend to sway towards Hamada in this whole nasty business.
 

nussnacker

one and only
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 16, 2019
I’d say, I don’t think Oda would’ve gone as far, like actually suing Hamada, if he had no substantial reason or evidence on hand.
I’ll wait for more details.
The reports about Hamada from before, about dragging the girl by her ponytail and throwing her on the ice, do not do her any favors.
The “pulling the ponytail” thing has been mentioned by other skaters as well, way before any reports from former students, Meagan Duhamel mentioned something about it.
The university made it seem like Hamada is such a good professional, and Oda is just hysterical, which I honestly doubt is the case.
 

ladyjane

Medalist
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Country
Netherlands
I’d say, I don’t think Oda would’ve gone as far, like actually suing Hamada, if he had no substantial reason or evidence on hand.
I’ll wait for more details.
The reports about Hamada from before, about dragging the girl by her ponytail and throwing her on the ice, do not do her any favors.
The “pulling the ponytail” thing has been mentioned by other skaters as well, way before any reports from former students, Meagan Duhamel mentioned something about it.
The university made it seem like Hamada is such a good professional, and Oda is just hysterical, which I honestly doubt is the case.

Exactly why I am still in two minds about this (and I had never even heard about the ponytail dragging which is really bad). And yes, swaying towards Hamada on the basis of this information but not there yet. I do realise more info is needed, especially since the suing is a serious thing and contrary to some cultures not a matter of course.
 

risingtrot

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 27, 2014
Thanks for translating such a long statement Moaray.

While I heard about the news about Oda and Hamada, I did't know that Oda really demanded Hamada to get her fired. I thought it was just like disciplinary sanctions like verbal warning, suspension, etc but not firing.

The statement from the university does look reasonable though but anyway we will see how it goes.
 

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Joined
Jan 11, 2008
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