[sumo] Comments on Scott's reaction to Asashoryu's suspension

[Moti]

Scott Kahn wrote:

> While I greatly respect Moti's far superior knowledge of sumo, I am a 
> little disappointed that he suggests only foreign rikishi disobey or 
> have no regard for sumo tradition, and that all Japanese rikishi are 
> model citizens.  There is no need for me to go into endless examples of 
> Japanese rikishi who ran afoul of the Kyokai...

I was mentioning current rikishi. There are many Japanese who went 
afoul, but none that I remember who had no regard for Sumo tradition. On 
the contrary, Maedayama was treated far more harshly than Asa was, 
which, frankly, surprises me a lot. I was totally convinced he would be 
fired.
> 
> And the implication that only "some" foreigners are in it for success?  
> Other than for, perhaps Ichinoya, who has many fans here, I would assume 
> that virtually all are, to some degree or another. Unless you argue that 
> it is also an escape from local hardships.   I can think of nothing more 
> enticing than to get whacked all over my body, to serve sekitori, and to 
> eat dust, just for the fun of it.

And yet, they come. Success-meaning monetary , not honor and stature. 
And not all gaijin rikishi seem to be "in it for the money"..Tenho, even 
Ama, maybe some others.
> 
  Would the Kyokai embrace a foreign rikishi, married to a
> Mongolian woman, and who most likely will retain Mongolian citizenship, 
> one who has revived sumo and brought it to a higher technical level, as 
> an international ambassador.  The Kyokai has emphatically answered, "no".

Until now, it totally has, in spite of his samll "transgressions", 
locally and internationally. He is the official ambassador of Sumo for 
everything at the moment, AFAIK.

Kintamayama
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