[sumo] Re: (sumo) Yaocho Story

[ozora ozora]

Sumo has bigger problems than bribery to worry about

Accusations of bribery are as old as the ancient sport of sumo itself, 
though in the past proponents were much more open about bouts being fixed, 
according to Shukan Asahi (2/16).

In the Taisho Era (1912-1925), there used to be an inspector who would 
accuse grapplers of fixing matches and make them re-fight seriously on the 
spot.

But the claims by Shukan Gendai that Yokozuna Asashoryu paid 11 of his 15 
opponents to lose in the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament last year rocked the 
sumo world. Asashoryu and the other wrestlers questioned over the claims 
have all denied any wrongdoing. Nonetheless, the struggling sport copped 
another blow it didn't really need.

"Before the Japan Sumo Association made a decision that there has not been 
any bout-fixing, it should be posting inspectors at the shitakubeya 
preparation room and getting them to keep an eye out on any wrestler acting 
suspiciously. They already knew what the result of the probe would be before 
they even started carrying it out this time," a veteran JSA member tells 
Shukan Asahi. "Unless they solve this, sumo runs the risk of losing even 
more of its popularity."

Sumo journalist Shigeru Nakazawa says there are problems other than the 
fixing allegations.

"Regardless of whether there was any fixing going on or not, what can't be 
denied is that a yokozuna who barely practices still manages to win 
tournaments while barely raising a sweat. The four ozeki who are supposed to 
beat the yokozuna never looked like doing so," Nakazawa says. "Sumo is 
trying to give across this message that everybody is always practicing 
really hard, but when you look at the results that are coming up, it shows 
you that nothing much is going on at all."

People in Tokyo may not have given up on sumo yet, but the next tournament 
is in March in Osaka, a city known for its citizens' parsimoniousness.

"There are some stalls complaining that customers are already demanding 
their money back. But there won't be any payments coming out of a place 
that's worth nothing," Nakazawa tells Shukan Asahi. "Osakans are a lot more 
outspoken than people from Tokyo, who'll put up with stuff it is makes them 
look good. Osakans won't put up with wrestlers not giving it their all." (By 
Ryann Connell)

February 6, 2007

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