Jan 8, 2021
Sport is often a microcosm of life, with what takes place on the field of play or in the coach s office regularly reflecting overall trends in a particular country.
Sumo is no different. Just as the initial wave of fear over COVID-19 was gradually replaced by habituation and an increasing casualness amongst a large section of the general population, and “Stay at Home” morphed into “Go To, so too did spectator-free and canceled tournaments give way to those with an increasing number of fans in attendance.
The results of becoming accustomed to danger are clear to see in the headlines. COVID-19 case numbers nationally continue to reach new heights, and the Japan Sumo Association (JSA) has had to deal with several outbreaks of the disease including one that put its biggest star,
Jan 8, 2021
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s declaration of a second state of emergency in Tokyo as well as neighboring Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama prefectures on Thursday could substantially impact sporting events in Japan.
The Japan Sumo Association will stick to hosting the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament as scheduled beginning Sunday at Tokyo’s Ryogoku Kokugikan. After initially limiting ticket sales to 5,000 on each day, the JSA cut off sales on Wednesday with only the first and last days having sold out.
The sumo world was rocked by Tuesday’s announcement that yokozuna Hakuho had tested positive for COVID-19. The JSA decided to proceed with the first
Injury-hit
yokozuna Kakuryu s career in the sumo ring inched closer to the precipice Friday, when his stablemaster said he will miss the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament due to lower-back issues.
The Mongolian-born grand champion s withdrawal from the meet starting Sunday at Ryogoku Kokugikan means he will have pulled out hurt from four straight grand tournaments. In November, he received a stern warning from the Japan Sumo Association over his absences from the ring.
Kakuryu has already missed all or part of 17 of the 39 tournaments since his promotion to sumo s highest rank.
The 15-day grand tournaments are held every two months from January to November. Like fellow yokozuna Hakuho, who was also warned, Kakuryu missed part of the July grand tournament, and all of the last two.
Published on: Wednesday, January 06, 2021
By: AFP
TOKYO: Record-breaking sumo champion Hakuho
(pic) has tested positive for Covid-19 just days before the New Year tournament, the Japan Sumo Association said Tuesday.
The JSA said Hakuho was tested after noticing a loss of smell, and that other members of the Miyagino stable who are thought to have come into contact with him would be tested Tuesday.
The Mongolian-born 35-year-old, who has won a record 44 tournaments and holds sumo’s highest rank of yokozuna, had been preparing for the 15-day New Year Grand Sumo Tournament, which starts Sunday in Tokyo.
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A JSA spokesperson said his participation in the basho, or tournament, was as yet undecided, but the competition was set to go ahead as scheduled. Hakuho’s infection comes after 11 members of the Arashio stable tested positive last week following the infection of top-division wrestler Wakatakakage.
A slimmed down November Grand Sumo Tournament held at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo allowed a maximum of 5,000 spectators a day. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
The New Year Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo will go ahead as planned from Jan. 10 even though a month-long state of emergency is scheduled to take effect from Jan. 7 to help contain surging cases of COVID-19 in the capital and neighboring prefectures.
However, the Japan Sumo Association did make some concessions to keep both spectators and sumo wrestlers safe.
Ticket sales ended at 5 p.m. on Jan. 6 and no more will be available for the 15-day tournament, even while it is in progress.