I've been a constant observer of MMA since 2003 and we have always joked about what it means when fighter goes to Japan and fights.
Can anyone more experienced with Japanese culture explain to me to the reasons why there are any type of organized testing in Japan? I understand that there is no sanctioning body, so is this more of a political thing or just a lack of development of organized sporting body?
Not trying to start anything with Pride fans or current fighters that fought in Japan, I'm just trying to understand the rationality behind the lack of testing.
I don't know on this specific issue, but I am quite familiar with Japanese culture and have been to the country a number of times. A couple of things come to mind about their culture that could contribute to this particular stance about drug testing. For one, they are definitely about the spectacle, and are a very fad-based pop culture. So when they are into something, they want to see it big, they want to see it ridiculous, and they want to see it exciting. If PEDs contribute to that, bring it on. Secondly, they don't have many of the western cultural taboos we are familiar with. You can buy porno mags and comic books at any subway station and read them openly as you travel, in front of women, kids, whatever, without shame. You can also by alcohol from vending machines, there is no real age restriction or stigma there. I can see them thoroughly not giving a s--- if some fight "performer" wants to juice up to put on a better show.
I always though that dudes that left the orgs, traditionally thought of as American, went to Japan to fight so they would have a big size/strength advantage over their Japanese opponents. This would give them some momentum and an invite back to the Show. The drug testing never really entered my mind.
It is more about entertainment than sport to a certain degree. However, fans have an insane amount of respect for all competitors. They like to root for monsters and the little guy.
The other thing is that it seems Japan is fine with one off ideas. Like that celebrity tug of war with mark hunt, or sumo wrestling with bob sapp. Which leads to minowa man fighting hong man choi.
Have any Japanese fighters ever been busted for PED use in countries that screen for it? It seems everyone that was accused of doing steroids in Pride were non-Japanese.
Thanks for the input.
I have never had a chance to travel to Japan, so the first hand accounts were a nice insight.
I also want to make it clear that I'm not insinuating that any or all fighters that fight in Japan go to Japan to avoid drug testing. Or that any Japanese fighter was on steroids while in Japan.
There are several reasons why people would want to fight there, but my cynical mind works in ways and I always think of high profile fighters who have PED issues in America and then going to fight in Japan it always makes me wonder the root of the cultural differences, and why things are interrupted differently around the world. I'm a social scientist of sorts and those kinds of social norms just interest me.
(BTW; I have my own political charged rant about why PED's are interrupted in the United States and the 'brown paper bag', but this is not the place for that topic.)
abc0331 said:
Thanks for the input.
I have never had a chance to travel to Japan, so the first hand accounts were a nice insight.
I also want to make it clear that I'm not insinuating that any or all fighters that fight in Japan go to Japan to avoid drug testing. Or that any Japanese fighter was on steroids while in Japan.
There are several reasons why people would want to fight there, but my cynical mind works in ways and I always think of high profile fighters who have PED issues in America and then going to fight in Japan it always makes me wonder the root of the cultural differences, and why things are interrupted differently around the world. I'm a social scientist of sorts and those kinds of social norms just interest me.
(BTW; I have my own political charged rant about why PED's are interrupted in the United States and the 'brown paper bag', but this is not the place for that topic.)
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what do you mean by "interrupted" differently?
Portillo said:
Steroids = bigger, larger than life characters. Just like pro wrestling.
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This right here is exactly why Japanese fans love it and could care less about steroids!!
PsychoIcon said:
So does this Mean UFC fighters dont get tested if its in Japan?
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Pretty sure the UFC takes on that duty when there isn't something already, like they've done in the UK/Sweden, or where ever it was..
Fight Genome said:
Pretty sure the UFC takes on that duty when there isn't something already, like they've done in the UK/Sweden, or where ever it was..
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^^ they busted leben, silva, herman and bonnar with their own drug tests.
BRF said:
^^ they busted leben, silva, herman and bonnar with their own drug tests.
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But do you think they would Protect any big names by letting them slide?
derek666 said:
what do you mean by "interrupted" differently?
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There are all kinds of reasons why steroids are approached in different areas of the world just like all aspects of culture.
As a social scientist you can not see morality and then transfer it to other cultures because there are different points of view on a topic. So instead of people in Japan just being ignorant to the issue, they have chosen to look at the issue in another way than here states have chosen. This interpretation of these topics based on individual cultural mores will dictate how people will view the morality of the topic.
abc0331 said:
There are all kinds of reasons why steroids are approached in different areas of the world just like all aspects of culture.
As a social scientist you can not see morality and then transfer it to other cultures because there are different points of view on a topic. So instead of people in Japan just being ignorant to the issue, they have chosen to look at the issue in another way than here states have chosen. This interpretation of these topics based on individual cultural mores will dictate how people will view the morality of the topic.
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and you still did not answer my question! what do you mean by "interrupted" differently?
