Nov 21, 2017

Japan's national sport wrestles with latest act of violence



A probe into AN assault by a wrestling grand champion against a junior fighter threatens to stain the image of Japan's ancient national sport even as its quality was ill from previous scandals and a shrinking fan base.


While some wrestlers say the tough conditions that may breed violence within the closed, stratified wrestling world have improved within the decade since a teen fighter was crushed to death, the new incident shows the trail to reform remains a rocky one.


Certainly, it is not as widespread as before," aforementioned wrestling commentator John Gunning by email, before adding:


The 'reforms' were very solely distributed pointers... little within the approach of sensible efforts to alter the culture."Mongolian "yokozuna" (grand champion) Harumafuji apologised last week once media reported he had pounded junior fighter Takanoiwa along with his clean fists and a bottle whereas drinking at a restaurant-bar with different wrestlers last month.



The 33-year-old Harumafuji was furious once he noticed the younger fighter checking his sensible phone whereas he was being corrected for having a foul perspective, the reports aforementioned.Conflicting reports have emerged concerning what came about and the way serious Takanoiwa's injuries were. However, he's not collaborating in AN current tournament because of a fracture, concussion and different injuries, consistent with the Japan wrestling Association (JSA).



A JSA official told reporters on Sunday that Harumafuji had admitted touch the 27-year-old Takanoiwa however it remained "still uncertain" whether or not he had used a bottle within the assault.


The affair has grabbed headlines and upset fans, a number of whom had been lured back to the game once the promotion of Japan-born Kisenosato to the very best rank in Gregorian calendar month. Kisenosato became the primary home-grown grand champion in nineteen years, throughout that wrestling had bother attracting native sons to AN arena dominated by foreign wrestlers.


As a wrestling fan, i'm therefore unhappy and additionally feel frightened.


such a lot of things appear to be lined up," aforementioned Kazunari Maguchi, 48, a bar owner World Health Organization traveled from Tokio last Sunday to ascertain the 15-day tournament in Fukuoka, southern Japan.


Fans packed the convention centre wherever the bouts area unit being command through to Sunday, whereas TV cameras jostled outside making an attempt to catch key players within the heroic tale.


Police also are work the incident once former grand champion Takanohana, World Health Organization is Takanoiwa's "oyakata" (the wrestler's coach and stable master), filed a criticism.Takanohana, a JSA director, has advocated reforms of a sport within which solely senior wrestlers have monthly salaries, will marry and live outside "stables", and wherever juniors area unit subjected to robust communal living conditions. however he has additionally return vulnerable for an obvious delay in informing JSA officers concerning last month's fistfight.


Struggle with violenceThe origins of wrestling, within which large wrestlers clad in loin-cloths get to topple or push their opponents out of the ring, stretch back centuries and its traditions have links to Japan's Shinto faith. the game has struggled with violence before.


A former oyakata was sentenced to 5 years in jail in 2010 once a court found he had ordered wrestlers 3 years earlier to beat 17-year-old tyro Takashi Saito, World Health Organization had tried to run removed from the athletic facility.


Saito died from his injuries. Mongolian yokozuna Asashoryu quit the game that very same year once a pursuit into reports of a boozy scuffle in Tokio."I'm really furious by the very fact that nothing has modified within the world of wrestling," Saito's father, Masato, told Kyodo wire service in AN interview.


What did Takashi's death mean?"Some wrestlers say conditions have improved."When I entered this world, violence was AN everyday factor," aforementioned a fighter, World Health Organization has been knowledgeable for nearly 20 years and is collaborating within the current tournament.


But times have modified," he told Reuters. "Now we must always treat newcomers with special care -- no scolding, to not mention touch.


Even oyakata tell United States to use caution and to not scold young wrestlers, because the tend to simply quit or run away."Not all stables, however, area unit as progressive.


Stables area unit basically freelance entities adore families, therefore it's not possible for the association to watch what goes on all told of them twenty four hours every day," Gunning supplementary.


Some at the highest could have very little sympathy for juniors preferring a softer life.


I was ready to stand up to the robust coaching, as I had detected it might be very strict," Harumafuji told Reuters in an exceedingly 2009 interview once being promoted to the sport's second highest rank of "ozeki


Japanese media have speculated that Harumafuji can have to be compelled to quit the game, AN outcome some fans say they might regret.Only one grand champion, Mongolian Hakuho, remains within the current tournament, the last of six command annually.


Harumafuji force out once news of the assault incident and 2 others have born out owing to injuries."Becoming a yokozuna is such a tough factor and Harumafuji did it," aforementioned married woman Akemi Kobayashi, a 52-year-old wrestling fan. "I don't need him to be created the individual."



Source: marca
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