Spanish badminton regains the honor it lost in Japan … thanks to this newspaper

It was less than four months before the Rio Games 2016 and the Japanese fans eagerly awaited to see Kento Momota, his great badminton star, then the second player in the world and currently number one, fighting for the Olympic gold. In other words, what the Spanish woman would end up doing in the female category Carolina Marin. However, the Japanese badminton federation suspended Momota for a year with her teammate. Kenichi Tago | after both visit an illegal casino in Tokyo.

[Dietas duplicadas, viajes ficticios… Así es la cara oscura del bádminton español]

At a press conference, Momota and Tago admitted to visiting illegal gambling venues in their country, although the second assured that he was to blame. The then world No. 63 said he became addicted to games while playing international tournaments in countries where the game is legal. “It is my responsibility to have put Momota in this situation,” he said publicly, to then ensure that he would accept “whatever punishment they give me. I will no longer be able to play badminton, but I would like Momota to be given one more chance. “. But there was no mercy.

According to reports Tago had visited illegal casinos in Japan about 60 times in the last two years and lost close to 100,000 euros. Momota allegedly only accompanied Tago six times and it was unclear how much money he spent. But this little or nothing mattered, despite the fact that it was sporting harakiri, never better said. “Considering that we have had so much impact in badminton and sports circles, as well as in society, we will have to give them severe punishments “said an official from Momota’s club, who eventually ran out of the Olympics.

The Japanese federation left the now world number one out of the Rio Games for visiting an illegal casino

This story serves to try to understand —and, for that matter, to compare— how in Japanese society honor takes precedence over everything and that being a public figure, far from acting as a mitigating factor, supposes the opposite. We could also remember the case of the Mexican coach Javier Aguirre, who was dismissed by the Japan Football Association (JFA) of the position of national coach being charged, not convicted, by a Spanish court for the supposed match-fixing Levante-Zaragoza.

The Confidential, at Yoneyama’s table

Having said all this, perhaps it is easier to understand that in Japan they never understood, worth the redundancy, how the president of the Spanish Badminton Federation (FESBA), David Cabello, continued in his position after being, no longer charged and tried, but sentenced to six months in jail for plagiarism. Nor that from the Higher Sports Council (CSD) will force you to do it. Your then president, Jose Ramon LeteHe washed his hands and appealed to the honor of a leader who proved not to have it and who, instead, did make the cross in Japan.

For those who do not know it because in Spain it is not yet very introduced, Yonex is one of the most important sports brands in the world, especially in the Asian market. Not for nothing is it considered a leader in sales of golf, tennis and, of course, badminton products, where its power is such that it has even associated its name with All England, considered the Wimbledon of this other racket sport. Yonex was founded in 1946, just after the Second World War, by Japanese Minoru Yoneyama, a producer of wooden floats for fishing nets, and now he is his son, I’m Yoneyama, who manages it.

The owner of Yonex asked that all the articles in El Confidencial about the president of the Spanish federation be translated into English

Unlike what happened in Spain, where institutions and most of the media have only been interested in badminton when Carolina Marín has climbed to the top of the podium, Mr. Yoneyama requested that all the articles in El Confidencial on the irregular management of the former president of Fesba be translated into English. How could it be otherwise, the Japanese businessman did not give credit to what was happening in Spanish badminton.

From that moment on, the owner of Yonex put honor before commercial interests and did not want to have any commercial relationship with the FESBA, beyond, of course, the sponsorship of Carolina Marín and her coach, Fernando Rivas, who, on the other hand, is known is the confrontation they have had with Cabello for more than five years, when the Olympic and three-time world champion came to publicly ask for her resignation and only the former general director of the CSD, Ana Munoz, he took his side.

In this way, Mr. Yoneyama also learned through El Confidencial of the serious irregularities for which the former president of the FESBA is being investigated, now, by the CSD. They already know, Duplicate diets, fictional trips, and another series of shenanigans that scandalized Japan and it seems that they have finally done so in Spain as well, at least among those who have the responsibility of auditing the accounts of sports federations.

The last shot of … Hair

This Saturday the general assembly of the Fesba, although being telematic David Cabello could not physically say goodbye to the representatives of Spanish badminton whom he has ended up representing so badly and until the last moment he has not told the truth. With saying that He assured that he renounces the consideration corresponding to 2020, even knowing that nothing corresponds to him because the CSD itself told him personally that he could not collect. Another tease by Mr. Cabello, yes, who doesn’t really leave, but gets kicked out.

Although it would have been normal for him to present his resignation long ago, last January he limited himself to announcing that he would not stand for re-election. In fact, this same Monday there will be an election in which he will no longer be, although Jaén has scheduled a visit to the president of the CSD for this Wednesdaypossibly to see if it convinces him to make a clean slate.

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As they comment from the guts of Spanish badminton, “If you think that leaving ends everything, you are wrong. The dark clouds that hang over his administration are and will be his responsibility and those of those who have held important positions in the FESBA during his mandate. The possible irregularities that have been committed will fall on their backs, either by having consented to them or, even, supported “.

The same sources assure that in the Assembly on Saturday Cabello did a totally falsified account balance and without wanting to recognize the problem generated by World Tour de Barcelona, a whim of his that has become one of the FESBA’s biggest financial holes, since, in addition to not generating any profit, it will pose a significant problem with the Tax agency for accounting problems. Come on, it is not going to get rid of an important fine, in addition to the reimbursements to the aforementioned TA of everything that is owed.

The advantage it has Irene Lozano is that, unlike Mr. Yoneyama, she does not have to translate the numerous news from El Confidencial about the former president of the FESBA and, unless she decides to look the other way as she does with the unnameable president of the football federation, it is enough for her with asking his collaborators to know that doing so would be irresponsible, since Spanish badminton needs a regeneration and this involves lifting all the carpets.

By the way, in the absence of arguments to defend itself from the indefensible and to deny the true and demonstrable, David Cabello always liked to call El Confidencial ‘yellow press’. The same is because of how much thanks to him they like to read us in Japan, where the truth does matter …