Sumo is to stage a tournament in Paris for the first time in more than three decades next year in a push to expand the ancient sport beyond Japan, organizers said yesterday.
Accor Arena, which hosted basketball and gymnastics events at last year’s Paris Olympics, is to stage a two-day competition featuring top wrestlers in the French capital in June next year.
Japan Sumo Association (JSA) officials last month announced that they would also stage a tournament later this year at London’s Royal Albert Hall — the first overseas sumo competition in 20 years.
Photo: AFP
“It’s important for us to show our sport to the world,” JSA chairman Hakkaku told reporters at Tokyo’s Ryogoku Kokugikan, where the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament is currently taking place. “And for the wrestlers, they’re the best in the world, they should be proud of that and see that they’re admired all over the world.”
Paris hosted sumo tournaments in 1986 and 1995 at the invitation of former French president Jacques Chirac, who was known to be a huge fan of the centuries-old sport.
Hakkaku, who competed at the 1986 Paris event, said he was “grateful for the long and deep relations between sumo and France.”
Photo: AFP
“We feel renewed joy and great responsibility as we prepare for our third performance in Paris in 2026,” he said. “We are committed to fully sharing the charm of sumo ... with the French people.”
French organizers said they would pull out all the stops to recreate the atmosphere of a sumo tournament in Japan.
David Rothschild, promoter and executive producer for events organizers AEG, said the Paris tournament would be part of a “festival” celebrating Japanese culture.
“When you say the word sumo, everyone in France knows it represents traditional Japanese culture,” he said.
“There was a time when it was shown on TV and there are people in France who are very knowledgeable about it,” Rothschild added. “But time flies and we want to introduce the beauty of sumo to a new generation.”
Sumo has staged events in several countries around the world, including the former Soviet Union, Mexico and the US.
The last overseas tournament organized by the JSA was in Las Vegas in 2005.
Hakkaku said the association’s efforts to bring sumo to audiences abroad were meant to “introduce people to the traditional culture of Japan.”
“We thought a lot about how to develop our sport after COVID and I think this was the best idea, but it was already in our plans before that,” he said.
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Shohei Ohtani on Thursday delivered his first two-homer game of the season and had six RBIs as the Los Angeles Dodgers poured it on with five long balls in a 19-2 victory over the visiting Athletics. Max Muncy, Andy Pages and James Outman also hit home runs for the Dodgers, who left no doubt by taking a 13-2 lead following a seven-run third inning. Muncy and Kim Hye-seong each had three hits for Los Angeles. Dodgers right-hander Matt Sauer led off a bullpen game by allowing two runs in four innings. Left-hander Justin Wrobleski (1-1) finished with four scoreless innings after he
RSS