As the 700 members of Japan's sumo fraternity prepare for 15 days of bouts this Sunday in Nagoya, Japan's national sport is fearing for its future after if failed to attract a single new recruit for the first time in its history. The Japan Sumo Association was forced to cancel the recruitment tests planned for yesterday.
The attempt to bring more Japanese youngsters into the ring - now dominated by foreign rikishi - won't have been helped by the death last week of Takashi Saito, a 17-year-old wrestler, in suspicious circumstances.
His stable initially said that Saito, who wrestled under the name Tokitaizan, died from a heart attack after a rigorous training session. But it was revealed that the teenager appeared to have sustained as yet unexplained injuries - including cigarette burns - and that he had run away from the stable at least once.
Source
No comments:
Post a Comment