Shohei Ohtani press conference: Dodgers star 'shocked' by interpreter's gambling controversy; denies any involvement
Shohei Ohtani press conference: Dodgers star 'shocked' by interpreter's gambling controversy; denies any involvement
Dan Treacy
The start of the Dodgers' season in South Korea was supposed to be a celebration, highlighted by Shohei Ohtani's team debut. Instead, the two-game series was overshadowed by an off-field saga involving Ohtani's interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara.
Mizuhara was fired by the Dodgers hours after the season opener Wednesday, with the Los Angeles Times reporting that he allegedly committed "massive theft" against Ohtani.
The news was shocking for anyone who observed how close Ohtani and Mizuhara were during the two-time MVP's tenure with the Angels, and it took an even more bizarre turn when an ESPN report detailed how Mizuhara found himself in severe gambling debt. Conflicting stories from Ohtani's camp only fueled speculation about the situation, which Ohtani has yet to publicly address.
MORE: Full timeline of allegations against Shohei Ohtani's interpreter
In his first chance speaking publicly on the matter, Ohtani spent 10 minutes providing a statement on the situation at a press conference just three days before the Dodgers play their home opener against the Cardinals. The Los Angeles vehemently denied any knowledge of Mizuhara's gambling and that his former interpreter was stealing money from his bank account, which Ohtani said he had no knowledge of.
"In conclusion, Ippei has been stealing money from my account and telling lies," Ohtani said. "...I want to make it clear that I never bet on sports or woefully sent any money to the bookmaker. To summarize how I'm feeling right now, I'm beyond shocked. It's really hard to verbalize how I'm feeling at this point."
The Sporting News tracked live updates from Ohtani's press conference regarding his former interpreter's gambling controversy. Follow along below with the reigning MVP's comments.
Dan Treacy
The start of the Dodgers' season in South Korea was supposed to be a celebration, highlighted by Shohei Ohtani's team debut. Instead, the two-game series was overshadowed by an off-field saga involving Ohtani's interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara.
Mizuhara was fired by the Dodgers hours after the season opener Wednesday, with the Los Angeles Times reporting that he allegedly committed "massive theft" against Ohtani.
The news was shocking for anyone who observed how close Ohtani and Mizuhara were during the two-time MVP's tenure with the Angels, and it took an even more bizarre turn when an ESPN report detailed how Mizuhara found himself in severe gambling debt. Conflicting stories from Ohtani's camp only fueled speculation about the situation, which Ohtani has yet to publicly address.
MORE: Full timeline of allegations against Shohei Ohtani's interpreter
In his first chance speaking publicly on the matter, Ohtani spent 10 minutes providing a statement on the situation at a press conference just three days before the Dodgers play their home opener against the Cardinals. The Los Angeles vehemently denied any knowledge of Mizuhara's gambling and that his former interpreter was stealing money from his bank account, which Ohtani said he had no knowledge of.
"In conclusion, Ippei has been stealing money from my account and telling lies," Ohtani said. "...I want to make it clear that I never bet on sports or woefully sent any money to the bookmaker. To summarize how I'm feeling right now, I'm beyond shocked. It's really hard to verbalize how I'm feeling at this point."
The Sporting News tracked live updates from Ohtani's press conference regarding his former interpreter's gambling controversy. Follow along below with the reigning MVP's comments.
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Summary
Shohei Ohtani addressed gambling allegations against his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, in a press conference. Ohtani stated that Mizuhara was stealing money from his account and lying to him. He also denied any involvement in gambling himself, expressing shock over the situation. The