2008 in sumo
Encyclopedia
Tournaments
- Hatsu bashoHonbashoA is an official professional sumo tournament. There are six held each year, a system established in 1958. Only honbasho results matter in determining promotion and relegation for rikishi ....
, Ryogoku KokugikanRyogoku Kokugikan, also known as Sumo Hall, is an indoor sporting arena located in the Ryōgoku neighborhood of Sumida, one of the 23 wards of Tokyo in Japan, next to the Edo-Tokyo Museum. It is the third building built in Tokyo associated with the name kokugikan. The current building was opened in 1985 and has a...
, TokyoTokyo, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, 13 January - 27 January - Haru basho, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, OsakaOsakais a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, 9 March - 23 March - Natsu basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 11 May - 25 May
- Nagoya basho, Aichi Prefectural GymnasiumAichi Prefectural GymnasiumThe is an all purpose gymnasium in Aichi, Japan, built in 1964. Located on the site of the secondary enclosure of Nagoya Castle, it is host to numerous concerts and events...
, Nagoya, 13 July - 27 July - Aki basho, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 14 September - 28 September
- Kyushu basho, Fukuoka International Centre, KyushuKyushuis the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
, 9 November - 23 November
January
- 27th: Yokozuna Asashoryu, making his return from a two tournament suspension, enters the final day of the Hatsu basho in Tokyo in the joint lead for the championship, but is defeated by fellow yokozuna Hakuho, who wins his sixth top division yushoYushoA Yūshō is a tournament championship in sumo. It is awarded in each of the six annual honbasho or official tournaments, to the wrestler who wins the most number of bouts. Yūshō are awarded in all six professional sumo divisions...
with a 14-1 record. Asashoryu finishes on 13-2 with runner-up honours. Another MongolianMongolsMongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
, Kakuryu, wins 11 matches and receives the Technique AwardSansho (Sumo)Sanshō are the three special prizes awarded to top division sumo wrestlers for exceptional performance during a sumo honbasho or tournament. The prizes were first awarded in November 1947.-Criteria:...
. Rank-and-filer Takekaze scores 12-3 and wins the Fighting Spirit Award, and Kisenosato scores 10-5 and receives the Outstanding Performance Award for his victory over Asashoryu on the 2nd day. GeorgianGeorgia (country)Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
Tochinoshin, making his debut in the second highest juryo division, wins the yusho with a 12-3 record. YamamotoyamaYamamotoyama RyutaYamamotoyama Ryūta is a former sumo wrestler from the city of Saitama in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. Making his professional debut in January 2007, he reached the top makuuchi division in January 2009. His highest rank was maegashira 9. At , he is the heaviest Japanese-born sumo wrestler ever...
takes the makushita division championship with a perfect 7-0 record. Announcing their retirements from active competition are former top division wrestlers Tochinohana, Tochisakae, KoboKobo KenichiKōbō Kenichi is a former sumo wrestler from Kumage, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. His highest rank was maegashira 9.-Career:Kōbō made his professional debut in March 1989 at the age of 15...
and Chiyotenzan, as well as Kyokutenho's brother Fudoyama and Tamanoshima's brother Tamamitsukuni.
February
- 2nd: The danpatsu-shiki or retirement ceremony of former ozeki Tochiazuma takes place at a packed Kokugikan.
- 7th: The former head of the Tokitsukaze stableTokitsukaze stableThe is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Tokitsukaze group of stables. It was originally founded in 1769 and was dominant during the Taishō period. In its modern form it dates from 1941 when it was established by Futabayama, who was still an active wrestler at the time. Initially known as...
, Junichi Yamamoto, and three non sekitoriSekitoriA sekitori is a sumo wrestler who is ranked in one of the top two professional divisions: makuuchi and juryo.Currently there are 70 rikishi in these divisions...
wrestlers from the stable are arrested on charges of assault leading to the death of trainee Tokitaizan. The Aichi PrefectureAichi Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region. The region of Aichi is also known as the Tōkai region. The capital is Nagoya. It is the focus of the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area.- History :...
Police Department allege that on 25 June 2007, the night before his death, Tokitaizan was struck on the head with a beer bottle and then tied to a pole and beaten with a wooden stick, on the orders of Yamamoto. The following day Tokitaizan was forced into an intense 30 minute training session and repeatedly hit in the face, kicked and beaten with an aluminium bat, resulting in his collapse and death. - 10th: Asashoryu wins a one-day tournament held at the Ryogoku Kokugikan, defeating Miyabiyama, Asasekiryu and Tokitenku.
March
- 23rd: In a reversal of fortunes from the January tournament in Tokyo, Asashoryu defeats Hakuho on the final day in Osaka to win his 22nd yusho, and his first since July 2007, with a 13-2 score. Hakuho finishes runner-up on 12-3, level with the maegashira KokkaiKokkai FutoshiKokkai Futoshi is a professional sumo wrestler from Georgia. He began his career in May 2001. He is the first Caucasian rikishi to reach sumo's highest division, makuuchi, which he achieved in 2004. His highest rank has been komusubi, which he reached in 2006...
and Baruto, who each receive a share of the Fighting Spirit Award. Tochiozan wins 11 bouts and the Technique Award, while sekiwake Kotoshogiku is awarded the Outstanding Performance prize for being the first wrestler to beat Asashoryu on Day 12. Ozeki Kotoōshū withdraws through injury with only two wins, meaning he will be kadobanKadobanKadoban is a Japanese term commonly interpreted to mean "in a corner". It may refer to:*In the board game Go, a game whose loss may alter a player's handicap or decide a match: see Professional go handicaps...
(in danger of demotion) in May. Kimurayama wins his first juryo division championship. Announcing their retirements are former maegashira Shunketsu, and makushita wrestler Asahimaru, an extremely successful amateur champion who missed the whole of 2003 through injury and was never able to make the sekitoriSekitoriA sekitori is a sumo wrestler who is ranked in one of the top two professional divisions: makuuchi and juryo.Currently there are 70 rikishi in these divisions...
ranks.
May
- 26: BulgariaBulgariaBulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n Kotooshu bounces back from his disappointing performance in March to win his first top division championship with a 14-1 record, becoming the first European to do so. His only defeat was to Aminishiki on Day 13, who wins his third Outstanding Performance Award. Asashoryu and Hakuho finish behind the pace on 11-4 and attract controversy after bad-temperedly pushing and glaring at each other after their match on the final day. Toyonoshima also wins 11 bouts and receives the Fighting Spirit Award. Kisenosato is also awarded the Fighting Spirit prize for his 10-5 mark at the rank of komusubi, while sekiwake AmaAma KoheiHarumafuji Kōhei , previously known as Ama Kōhei, is a sumo wrestler. He began his professional career in 2001 and reached the top makuuchi division in 2004. A relative lightweight noted for his technical skill, he has won ten special prizes for his achievements in tournaments...
earns his third Technique Award. In the juryo division Chiyohakuho wins his first yusho, and former maegashira Tamaasuka wins the makushita championship. - 27: The head of the Sumo Association sees both Asashoryu and Hakuho separately and gives each a strict warning over their conduct in the previous day's bout.
June
- 7-8: An exhibition tournament is held in Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
for the first time in 27 years, at the Memorial ArenaLos Angeles Memorial Sports ArenaThe Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena is a multi-purpose arena, in the University Park neighborhood, of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park. It is located next to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, just south of the campus of the University of Southern California.-History:The Los Angeles...
.
July
- 2nd: Asashoryu uses his position as head of the wrestlers union to call for all salaried rikishi to be given a pay raise of ten percent (which would be their first pay raise since 2001) to compensate for the rising cost of food2007–2008 world food price crisisWorld food prices increased dramatically in 2007 and the 1st and 2nd quarter of 2008 creating a global crisis and causing political and economical instability and social unrest in both poor and developed nations. Systemic causes for the worldwide increases in food prices continue to be the subject...
and fuel. The Sumo Association are reportedly unimpressed with his remarks. - 27th: Hakuho wins the tournament held in Nagoya with a perfect 15-0 record. His yokozuna rival Asashoryu withdraws after a defeat to Tochinonada on day 5, citing an injury to his elbow. Talk of Kotooshu's possible promotion to yokozuna is silenced after he turns in a mediocre 9-6 score. Ozeki Kotomitsuki finishes as runner-up to Hakuho, but four wins behind. Ama wins another Technique award and scores 10-5, while Toyonoshima also finishes on 10-5 and receives the Outstanding Performance prize. The Fighting Spirit award goes to maegashira Toyohibiki for his ten wins. Veteran Bushuyama wins the juryo division championship. Former maegashira SatoyamaSatoyamais a Japanese term applied to the border zone or area between mountain foothills and arable flat land. Literally, sato means arable and livable land or home land, and yama means mountain...
wins the makushita yusho, defeating Yamamotoyama, amongst others, in a playoff. Yamamotoyama is nonetheless promoted to the juryo division after the tournament.
August
- 18th: RussianRussiansThe Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
maegashira Wakanoho is arrested for cannabisCannabis (drug)Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
possession after his wallet, lost in June, is turned in to police and found to contain a cigarette mixed with the illegal drug. Police search his home and discover more evidence of cannabis use. - 21st: The elders of the Sumo Association meet and decide on the immediate dismissal of Wakanoho. His name is removed from the banzukeBanzukeThis article is about the banzuke document, for a list of wrestlers as ranked on an actual banzuke see List of active sumo wrestlersA , officially called is a document listing the rankings of professional sumo wrestlers published before each official tournament or honbasho. The term can also...
ranking sheets for the September tournament, with the Maegashira 8 East position left blank. His stablemaster Magaki (the former yokozuna Wakanohana IIWakanohana Kanji IIWakanohana Kanji II is a former sumo wrestler from Ōwani, Aomori, Japan. He was the sport's 56th Yokozuna. He is now the head coach of Magaki stable.-Early career:...
) steps down from the Association's board of directors. - 28th: Asashoryu defeats Hakuho in a playoff to win an exhibition tournament held in Mongolia and receives a trophy from Mongolian President Nambaryn EnkhbayarNambaryn EnkhbayarNambaryn Enkhbayar is a Mongolian political figure. He was the Prime Minister of Mongolia from 2000 to 2004, the Speaker of Parliament from 2004 to 2005, and the President of Mongolia from 2005 to 2009...
. The tournament attracts live television and front page newspaper coverage in Mongolia.
September
- 2nd: Drug tests are carried out on all sekitori ranked wrestlers in the wake of Wakanoho's dismissal, and two other Russian wrestlers, brothers RohoRohoRohō Yukio is a former sumo wrestler. The highest rank he achieved was komusubi. His younger brother is also a former sumo wrestler, under the name of Hakurozan...
and Hakurozan, test positive for cannabis. - 8th: The Sumo Association announce the immediate dismissals of Roho and Hakurozan, who both deny ever taking banned substances. The head of the Sumo Association Kitanoumi, who is also Hakurozan's stablemaster, announces his resignation, although he remains on the board of directors. He is replaced as chairman by Musashigawa (former yokozuna Mienoumi). On the same day, police charges against Wakanoho are dropped due to his age and the small quantity of the drug found in his possession, and he is released from jail.
- 10th: Wakanoho visits the Sumo Association and asks to be readmitted to sumo, but his request is turned down.
- 11th: Wakanoho files a lawsuit against the Sumo Association claiming unfair dismissal.
- 14th: The Aki basho opens, without Wakanoho, Roho or Hakurozan. New chairman Musashigawa announces that judgesShimpanare the judges of a professional sumo bout. In a sumo honbasho tournament five shimpan sit around the ring to observe which wrestler wins the matchup. When judging tournament bouts they wear formal Japanese dress of otokomono, haori with mon, and hakama...
have been instructed to call back any wrestlers who do not perform the tachi-aiTachi-aiThe tachi-ai is the initial charge between two sumo wrestlers at the beginning of a bout.There are several common techniques that wrestlers use at the tachi-ai, with the aim of getting a decisive advantage in the bout:...
properly and make them start the bout again. This leads to a large number of false starts and criticism from commentators over the new rules. - 28th: Hakuho wins the tournament with a 14-1 record. Once again he does not have to face Asashoryu, who withdraws on Day 10, prompting speculation about his possible retirement. Ama finishes as runner-up with twelve wins and wins the Outstanding Performance Award, and is seen as a candidate for promotion to ozeki next time. Goeido takes the Fighting Spirit prize. The one remaining Russian sekitori, AranAran HakutoraAran Hakutora is a Russian sumo wrestler. He began his professional career in January 2007 and made the top division in a record eleven tournaments. The highest rank he has reached is sekiwake...
, wins the juryo championship. Veteran former sekiwake Tamakasuga announces his retirement. - 28th: The small Araiso stableAraiso stableAraiso stable was a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Nishonoseki group of stables. It was founded in 1993 by former komusubi Futagodake of the Futagoyama stable. It was the smallest of all the sumo stables, with just three sumo wrestlers...
closes, as its stablemaster is approaching the mandatory retirement age. - 29th: At a press conference, the former Wakanoho alleges he was involved in match-fixing or yaocho, which he details in a series of interviews with the tabloid Shukan GendaiShukan Gendaiis a Japanese weekly magazine published since 1959 by Kodansha. Published simultaneously with Weekly Post , it includes articles about political scandals, sports and celebrities; nude photos; movie information; book reviews; and other articles of interest to middle-aged salarymen...
. The opponents he names all deny the allegations. - 30th: Three external directors are added to the Sumo Association's board, as demanded by the Ministry of Education after the recent scandals.
October
- 3rd: In the first ever court appearance by a yokozuna, Asashoryu takes the stand on behalf of the Sumo Association in a lawsuit brought against the Shukan Gendai over separate match-fixing allegations made by the magazine in January 2007. He denies ever taking part in rigged bouts, calling the allegations "complete lies." (In March 2009 a judge rules in favour of the Sumo Association.)
- 6th: Asashoryu travels to his homeland of Mongolia to receive treatment for his injured elbow. He sits out this month's regional tour and also misses the Kyushu honbasho.
- 7th: The trial begins in the Nagoya District Court of the three wrestlers from the Tokitsukaze stable alleged to have caused bodily injury resulting in the death of trainee Tokitaizan, real name Takashi SaitoTakashi Saito (sumo wrestler)The Tokitsukaze stable hazing scandal occurred on June 26, 2007, when a seventeen-year old junior sumo wrestler who fought under the shikona of Tokitaizan, collapsed and died after a training session at the Tokitsukaze stable. It subsequently emerged that he was beaten with a beer bottle and a...
. The three admit wrongdoing but say they were only following the orders of their former stablemaster Junichi Yamamoto, who denies the charges and is being tried at a later date. - 28th: Roho and Hakurozan launch a lawsuit against the Sumo Association seeking their re-admission to sumo.
- 29th: The Tokyo District CourtTokyo District Courtis a district court located at 1-1-4 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. -References:...
turns down Wakanoho's lawsuit seeking to nullify his dismissal by the Sumo Association.
November
- 23rd: In the Kyushu basho in FukuokaFukuokaFukuoka most often refers to the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture.It can also refer to:-Locations:* Fukuoka, Gifu, a town in Gifu Prefecture, Japan* Fukuoka, Toyama, a town in Toyama Prefecture, Japan...
Hakuho wins his third straight championship, defeating Ama in a playoff after both men finish with 13-2 records. Ama seals his promotion to ozeki and receives the Technique Prize. Asashoryu misses the tournament, and ozeki KaioKaio HiroyukiKaiō Hiroyuki is a former professional sumo wrestler from Nōgata, Fukuoka, Japan.He made his debut in 1988, reaching the top makuuchi division in 1993. He held the second highest rank of ōzeki or champion for eleven years from 2000 to 2011, and is the longest-serving ozeki of all time in terms of...
pulls out after three days. Aminishiki wins the Outstanding Performance Award, and maegashira Yoshikaze gets the Fighting Spirit Prize for his fine 11-4 score. Mongolian Shotenro wins the juryo yusho at his first attempt. - 26th: Ama's promotion to ozeki is officially confirmed. To mark the occasion his ring nameShikonaA shikona is a sumo wrestler's ring name.As with standard Japanese names, a shikona consists of a 'surname' and a 'given' name, and the full name is written surname first. However, the given name is rarely used outside formal or ceremonial occasions. Thus, the former yokozuna Asashōryū Akinori is...
is changed to Harumafuji. - 28th: Wakanoho retracts all his match-fixing allegations and issues an apology.
December
- 10th: The Tokyo High CourtTokyo High Courtis a high court in Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. The Intellectual Property High Court is a special branch of Tokyo High Court....
rejects an appeal brought by Wakanoho over a lower court ruling that his dismissal from sumo was fair. - 18th: The three Tokitsukaze stable wrestlers are found guilty and given suspended sentenceSuspended sentenceA suspended sentence is a legal term for a judge's delaying of a defendant's serving of a sentence after they have been found guilty, in order to allow the defendant to perform a period of probation...
s of between two and a half and three years. All are also dismissed from the Sumo Association.
Deaths
- 11 August: Former sekiwake AraseArase Nagahide, real name was a sumo wrestler from Ino, Agawa District, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan. An amateur sumo champion at Nihon University, he made his professional debut in 1972....
, aged 59. - 15 December: Former makushita Wakamiume, aged 25, of leukemiaLeukemiaLeukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
.