[sumo] Asashoryu and Soccer

[Scott Kahn]

I woke up this morning to the news, shocked.

This two basho suspension for Asashoryu has to be up there with the most 
ridiculous decisions ever by a sports governing body.  The fact is that 
in Asashoryu, Japan and the Kyokai have to deal with a yokozuna who is 
revered in his home country of Mongolia, and who is an international 
ambassador of goodwill.  With this decision, the Kyokai and the Japanese 
media which egged on the Kyokai with its xenophobic, biased reporting, 
have insulted the integrity of international sports figures, in my 
opinion.  I watched the 6 minute clip with the sound off, since I can't 
understand the language well, and it appeared to me to be a hatchet job, 
with no regard for real reporting.

A two basho suspension for Asashoryu participating at a goodwill event?  
This reeks of internal power struggles between Asashoryu and the 
Kyokai.  The Kyokai, in their medieval wisdom, remeniscent of the 
Church's misguided and self-serving decrees against Copernicus, have 
done irreversable harm.to sumo.  By placating sponsors and flexing their 
muscles, they pander to the "go out and get the foreign yokozuna" 
crowd.  Thus, they accomplish what no Japanese wrestler is able to do in 
the ring, defeat Asashoryu.

I can't disagree more with the notion that Asashoryu should be a humble 
employee.  The Kyokai takes away his liberty to act as an ambassador of 
Mongolia, and of today's youth?  Had the Kyokai supported this extended 
role for Asashoryu, who as I stated before single handedly rescued sumo 
from the steroid infected Taka-Waka hype, they would have found ways to 
explain Asashoryu's true injuries instead of flaming the xenophobic 
media outcry.  Lest anyone forget that Asashoryu has fought for the 
better part of a year with injuries that would sideline other yokozuna, 
not to mention the hangnails that force current and past ozeki to drop 
out of tournaments.  This is simply a case of the Kyokai humiliating 
Asashoryu in public and their need to show that their mawashi is bigger 
than his.

Is this worse than Wajima's actions as Yokozuna?  I think not.  And, 
what about the investigation into the death of the young rikishi earlier 
this year.  I'm assuming the Kyokai has fined Asashoryu and his oyakata 
so that they can bribe the family not to pursue manslaughter charges.  
Or has the Japanese media conveniently forgotten about that incident?

A dark, dark day  for sumo indeed.  I'm not finished, but I need a break 
from this regrettable decision.

Sukubidubidu



murray johnson wrote:

>Asa suspended for 2 basho. Kyokai just announced.
>
> 
>-----Original Message-----
>From: sumo-bounces at webtrek.com [mailto:sumo-bounces at webtrek.com] On Behalf
>Of Philip Sherman
>Sent: Wednesday, 1 August 2007 1:16 PM
>To: Sumo Mailing List
>Subject: Re: [sumo] Asashoryu and Soccer
>
>Agreed Joe.
>
>PHIL
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Joe Petrow
>Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2007 7:42 PM
>To: Sumo Mailing List
>Subject: Re: [sumo] Asashoryu and Soccer
>
>On 8/1/07, Scott Kahn <smk1 at columbia.edu> wrote:
>  
>
>>Hi Phil,
>>
>>In the larger scheme of things, I don't see what he did as wrong.  He
>>participated in a youth soccer game between Mongolia and Japan as an
>>ambassador at the request of his government.  His injuries did not
>>preclude him from participating, whereas they are serious enough to keep
>>him from the upcoming Jungyo.
>>    
>>
>
>I am considered one of the biggest Asashoryu apologists around...but I
>cannot think of a single injury that is exacerbated more by simply
>traveling on the Jungyo tour and performing dohyo-iris than by diving
>to perform a header in a soccer match.
>
>If Asashoryu was too injured to even appear in a jungyo tour, then he
>should have been admitted to a hospital in Japan.  There is no valid
>excuse for what he has done, and I hope that Asashoryu is suspended
>from the Aki tournament to give him time to reflect more deeply on his
>conduct.
>
>  - Peterao
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