Volatile sumo grand champion Asashoryu will not return to the ring until the New Year despite being fit enough to hunt and cook wild animals in the Mongolian mountains.
The yokozuna returned to his native country for treatment to an elbow injury last month and spent 10 days living in a tent and eating wild boar, deer and wolves.
“I was just trying to survive,” Asashoryu told reporters. “Out in the wild we had to catch the animals, prepare them and eat them ourselves. I brought some sauce for cooked meat from Japan so they really tasted good. The whole experience really helped to toughen me up mentally.”
The 28-year-old endured temperatures of minus 15˚C in a bizarre rehabilitation regime that also involved him plunging into icy mountain rivers.
The Mongolian has struggled since returning to Japan’s ancient sport following a ban for playing in a soccer match while claiming to have a back injury in August last year.
However, the Japan Sumo Association (JSA) said they saw nothing wrong with Asashoryu’s hunting trip and insisted his injury was legitimate.
“He’ll return to sumo when his injury is healed,” the JSA told reporters yesterday. “A yokozuna must be able to fight at the highest level and can’t afford to embarrass himself.”
Asashoryu has targeted a return at the New Year grand sumo tournament in January.
With Asashoryu out of the picture, his fellow grand champion Hakuho yesterday maintained the sole lead at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka, Japan.
In the day’s final bout, Hakuho spun Estonian sekiwake Baruto around at the faceoff and shoved him out from behind to improve to 10-1. Baruto dropped to 8-3.
Ozeki Kotomistuki was forced to sit out yesterday’s action with an injury and dropped to 8-3 after a forfeit loss to No. 6 maegashira Kakuryu, who improved to 5-6.
Struggling Bulgarian ozeki Kotooshu drove out No. 5 maegashira Asasekiryu to improve slightly to 5-6. Asasekiryu dropped to 3-8.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY STAFF WRITER
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