The Japan Sumo Association has been thrown into turmoil by seven breakaway members who have demanded sweeping changes to boost the waning popularity of the sport, which has been hit by a series of scandals in recent years.
Leading the reformist charge in the ritualistic, male-only sport is former grand champion Takanohana, 37, who wants to start by having the association’s 10 board members openly elected rather than decided behind closed doors.
Takanohana’s goal is to revive the sport, which has faced increasing competition, first from baseball and more recently football, and to introduce it in schools to breed a new generation of home-grown wrestlers.
“I want to expand the spirit of reform,” Takanohana last week told reporters. “A lot of people aged around 40 like me are thinking of trying to help develop the association beyond its factions.”
The association — made up of stablemasters, top athletes and judges — in 1968 introduced elections to its board, which manages the sport and organises tournaments, ticket sales and broadcasting rights.
But in practice, the body has only held three votes since then because most years the make-up of the board was decided in backroom talks by influential faction leaders, usually leaving 10 candidates for 10 board positions.
In recent years, the reclusive body has had to react to a series of scandals, including the deadly “hazing” of a teenage wrestler, one fighter’s arrest for illegal drug use and allegations of match-fixing.
Many Japanese were shocked by the 2007 case of a stable master, now in jail, who ordered the brutal “toughening up” treatment of a 17-year-old wrestler who died after being beaten with a beer bottle and baseball bat.
A study by the Japan Sumo Association found that 90 per cent of sumo stables allowed violent beatings of trainees, and punishments such as forcing salt or sand into their mouths.
There has also been disquiet over the rising dominance of foreign fighters, mainly fromMongolia and Eastern Europe but as far as Brazil and Tonga
Sumo has not had a Japanese-born champion in more than three years, and in recent tournaments more than one third of competitors have been foreigners.
The spring tournament that ended Sunday saw Mongolian sumo grand champion Asashoryu clinch his 25th trophy.
To revitalise the sport, Takanohana has announced his candidacy for election, hoping for the kind of change that transformed Japan
Takanohana has said he has prepared a “manifesto” for change, although he has given away few details other than a plan to make sumo a required course at elementary and junior high schools.
His first aim is to bring greater transparency to the board’s management through truly open elections to help the sport reform — a call that promptly saw him and his six allies evicted from his faction, called Nishonoseki.
Musashigawa, the head of the association, shrugged off the call for change, saying: “Reform, reform.... What reforms does he want? We are already doing that.”
Undeterred, Takanohana, who won 22 Emperor’s Cups during his career and who now owns a sumo stable, said his resolve is “unshakable,” declaring: “I want to move forward firmly.”
His candidacy is expected to force the association to hold an election for 10 new board members on February 1 in which 109 members can cast their votes.
Whatever the outcome, Takanohana has already made sumo history.
“I have never heard of such a daring act within sumo circles,” retired sumo great Muneyoshi Fujisawa, who spent 20 years in the ring and five years coaching, told AFP.
“His actions may not be easily accepted by the sumo world which has long cherished conformity and discipline.”
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