First, I think しないでほしい is usually not used with ~に in this situation though ”してほしくない” is often used with ~に. In my opinion, しないでほしい is usually used solely. The object is "you", and it is usually omitted. > そこに座らないでほしい。 I want you not to sit there. Aに...しないでほしい can be used with "と言った", "と思った" and so on in a sentence like this: > 私は彼にもうこれ以上罪を侵さないでほしいと言った。<br> I said to him that I wanted him not to commit sin anymore.<br> or<br> I said to him "I want you not to commit sin anymore.".<br> <br> Perhaps, Aに...しないでほしい you learned may be as below. > 彼に迷惑行為をしないでほしい。 I want you not to do him anything he doesn't like.<br> 彼女に近づくことはしないでしい。/彼女に近づかないでほしい。 I want you not to be close to her.<br> In this case, there are two object unlike the above two cases. One is "you" and the other is "someone/something".<br> It is the case we want "you" not to do something to "someone/something". If you said > そもそも合気道の達人**に**、一般人と8時間も組み手をしないでほしい。 I think this means... > In the first place, I want you not to do Kumite against 達人 (cooperating) with ordinary people for 8 hours. However, In my opinion, the correct meaning is > In the first place, I want you not to do anything like that 達人 (like > you) does sparring/Kumite with ordinary people (like me) for 8 > hours.”<br> そもそも合気道の達人が一般人と8時間も組み手をするなんてこと、しないでほしい。 I think 遊 talks to 先輩 directly in his brain though she is not there.<br> <br> By the way, there is another explanation like [this][1] or other answers.<br> Perhaps, I could be wrong, but I strongly feel it is weird to say/hear "AはBに~しないでほしい"... though it might be grammatically correct. So, please note this is just my opinion as a Japanese.<br> [1]: https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/73128/can-a-verb-be-modified-too-many-times/73129#73129