Sumo, the 2,000-year-old Japanese sport, has come under fire lately as it is hearing voices urging it to dramatically change its ancient ways and to uncover scandals in its circle, according media reports Wednesday.
Kitanoumi, a legendary grand champion, resigned Monday as head of the Japan Sumo Association after three Russian wrestlers, one of them trained in his stable, tested positive for smoking marijuana.
The sport sumo has historically been considered by numberous Japanese, fans or average spectators alike, to be more of a spiritual set of rituals than a competition. Sumo athletes are seen even as nearly ascetic role models.
To address the situation, one ruling-party lawmaker went so far as to call for a complete ban on foreigners becoming sumo athletes.
"The latest incident again taught us that it is difficult for those who do not hold the spirit of Japanese people to be bearers of the Japanese culture," Kenshiro Matsunami, a former wrestler and one-time vice education and sports minister, was quoted as saying.
The sumo association should learn from the lessons of drugs, violence and such problems of Asashoryu, he added.
Asashoryu, a sumo athlete from Mongolia, was more than once derided as too brash by many spectators. Last year, he even skipped a charity tournament to go home and was therefore suspended for two tournaments.
The Japanese sumo establishment faces a dilemma. On the one hand, many foreigners are athletically gifted for sumo and have succeeded in it in Japan.
On the other hand, its stables find it difficult to recruit young people in the grueling training and its arena empty seats are growing.
Source:Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article