Hiroshima Carp Terminate Contract with Player Ryutaro Hazuki Over Designated Drug Use

Professional baseball team Hiroshima Toyo Carp announced on February 25th that they terminated the player contract with Ryutaro Hazuki (25) as of February 24th. Hazuki had been arrested and indicted on suspicion of using a designated drug. The team explained, "After confirming the facts, we recognize this as an extremely serious matter and have terminated the player contract," stating that the incident significantly damages the team's trust.

Hazuki was arrested and indicted on suspicion of using the designated drug "Etomidate," also known as "zombie tobacco." This news caused a significant stir on social media, with many comments such as "As expected" and "He brought it on himself, but it's regrettable."

Manager Takahiro Arai also issued a comment regarding the situation, stating, "As manager, I feel a great sense of responsibility." The team expressed its apologies to fans and stakeholders, stating, "We will work to strengthen measures to prevent recurrence and strive to regain trust."

Fans have voiced opinions such as "Professional baseball is a dream for children, so contract termination is unavoidable," "A natural decision," and "I'm truly disappointed, but I hope he lives his life well from now on." There are also comments wishing for Hazuki's rehabilitation.

The context

The Hiroshima Toyo Carp are a popular professional baseball team in Japan's Central League, with a passionate fan base. Professional baseball players in Japan are often seen as role models and are expected to uphold high standards of conduct both on and off the field.

A "designated drug" (指定薬物 - shitei yakubutsu) in Japan refers to substances that have stimulant or hallucinogenic properties and are legally restricted, but may not be classified under stricter laws like those for traditional illicit drugs (e.g., stimulants, cannabis). These are often new psychoactive substances (NPS) or designer drugs. Etomidate, specifically, is a short-acting intravenous anesthetic agent. When used non-medically, especially if mixed with other substances and smoked, it can induce a state of impaired consciousness and coordination, leading to the nickname "zombie tobacco."

The use of such a substance by a public figure, particularly a professional athlete, is viewed with extreme disapproval in Japanese society and typically leads to swift and severe consequences, such as contract termination, as seen in this case. The team's emphasis on restoring trust reflects the strong societal expectation for integrity from public institutions and their members.

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