Sumo veteran Kaio said yesterday that harsh treatment of wrestlers in training is an integral part of Japan’s ancient sport and is partially responsible for his own success.
The sport has been rocked by several recent scandals including one in which a trainer was sentenced to six years in prison for his role in the fatal beating of a young wrestler.
Junichi Yamamoto, who went by the name Tokitsukaze when he was master of a sumo stable where wrestlers train and live — ordered three wrestlers, in the name of practice, to beat 17-year-old Tokitaizan, hitting him with beer bottles, a baseball bat and hosing him with cold water.
PHOTO: AP
Tokitaizan collapsed after practice and died. An autopsy showed bruises and injuries that prosecutors said showed his ordeal was not training.
The incident stunned Japan, tarnishing sumo’s image.
Kaio called the sentencing “reasonable” but said that hazing, in acceptable quantities, is a part of the sport.
“Practice is always tough,” Kaio said yesterday at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan. “I was slapped around as well, partly because the stable master wanted to make me stronger and because of training like that I became stronger.”
Kaio has been in sumo’s elite division since 1993. He was promoted to the second highest rank of ozeki in 2000.
Sumo hasn’t had a Japanese grand champion since Takanohana retired in January 2003. Since then, the sport has been dominated by Mongolian grand champions Hakuho and Asashoryu, leading many to feel Japan is losing a grip of its own national sport.
Kaio is one of a handful of wrestlers at the rank of ozeki, but at 36 his chances for promotion to the top have come and gone.
“I had my opportunities to be promoted but was unable to withstand the pressure,” Kaio said. “There were various circumstances that prevented me from doing the necessary training and I accept the responsibility for that.”
Harumafuji, another Mongolian, won last month’s Summer Grand Sumo Tournament and is seen by many as the most likely candidate to be the next grand champion.
Kaio said Mongolians are hungrier and train harder and that’s why they are dominating sumo.
“When they are small they are doing Mongolian sumo and other sports,” Kaio said. “They are practicing harder than Japanese or anyone else and that’s why they are stronger than anyone else.”
Twelve days after winning her second Grand Slam title at the French Open, Coco Gauff fell at the first hurdle on grass in Berlin on Thursday as beaten Paris finalist Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the quarter-finals. Recipient of a first round bye, American Gauff lost 6-3, 6-3 to Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu as world number one Sabalenka beat Rebeka Masarova 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) in her second round tie. Winner of 10 main tour titles, including the US Open in 2023 and the WTA Finals last year, Gauff has yet to lift a trophy in a grass-court tournament. “After I won the first
Lionel Messi drew vast crowds and showed flashes of his brilliance when his Inter Miami side were held to a goalless draw by African giants Al-Ahly as the revamped FIFA Club World Cup got off to a festive start on Saturday. Fans showed up en masse for the Group A clash at the Hard Rock Stadium, home to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, but Messi could not fully deliver, his best chance coming through a last-second attempt that was deflected onto the crossbar. Inter Miami next face FC Porto on Thursday in Atlanta, while Al-Ahly, who benefited from raucous, massive support, are to
Sergio Ramos on Tuesday outfoxed two Inter players and artfully headed home the first goal for Monterrey at the FIFA Club World Cup. The 39-year-old Ramos slipped through the penalty area for the score just as he did for so many years in the shirts of Real Madrid and Spain’s national team, with whom he combined smarts, timing and physicality. Ramos’ clever goal and his overall defensive play at the Rose Bowl were major factors in Monterrey’s impressive 1-1 draw against the UEFA Champions League finalists in the clubs’ first match of the tournament. “There is always a joy to contribute to the
Aaron Civale got a little wild in the right-hander’s first start for the Chicago White Sox two days after he was traded by the Milwaukee Brewers. Civale on Sunday walked four of the first seven hitters he faced in a 2-1 loss to the Texas Rangers. The 30-year-old finished with four walks, one off his career high, while allowing six hits and two runs in five innings. He threw 65 strikes and 39 balls. Chicago trailed 2-1 when he was replaced by Dan Altavilla to start the sixth. “Not the cleanest,” Civale said. “It’s been a whirlwind of a week. First couple
RSS