Sumo

All 2nd, 3rd drugs tests on sumo wrestlers found to be negative

Thursday 25th June, 06:03 PM JST

TOKYO —

Results of the second and third ‘‘random’’ drug tests conducted on a total of 214 sumo wrestlers, stablemasters and other sumo officials earlier this month were all found to be negative, the Japan Sumo Association said Thursday. Mongolian grand champion Hakuho and compatriot ozeki Harumafuji, who won his first championship title at last month’s Summer Grand Sumo Tournament, were among wrestlers from 10 stables that gave urine samples on June 8 and 10 to check for illegal drugs.

Wrestlers from the Oguruma stable, to which former wrestler Wakakirin belonged before he was dismissed in February for marijuana possession, and the Sadogatake stable, home of Bulgarian ozeki Kotooshu and fellow ozeki Kotomitsuki, were also tested. The JSA conducted the first urine examinations, implemented following a spate of drug-related scandals that have tarnished the image of the ancient national sport, on April 22. All 103 subjects from five stables, including JSA chairman Musashigawa’s stable, returned negative results on May 7. The JSA plans to continue the random tests until all members of the association have been examined.

Kyodo

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Latest 15 of 16 Total Comments Show All

stirfry at 06:50 PM JST - 25th June

yes of course they were
namabiru4me at 06:54 PM JST - 25th June

not too expensive to buy clean pee, huh?
noborito at 07:02 PM JST - 25th June

I am sure they were fixed, just like the matches. who cares anymore. i used to love this sport, now it is a joke. a dead sport. someone bury it.
outofmydepth at 07:03 PM JST - 25th June

snort snort snort - read that as stiffled laughter. how many days ahead did they tell the guys to clean up their act. i agree with noborito - someone please give sumo a proper burial.
gogogo at 07:09 PM JST - 25th June

Come on, the guys had 6 months to clean their act up... They need to test hair since sumo's don't cut it. The police do this so why can't Sumo?
Beerplease at 07:15 PM JST - 25th June

Too bad they don't test for steroids.
thundercat at 07:34 PM JST - 25th June

I love how random is in quotes. Also note that if they are doing a drug other than marijuana it will be missed by urine tests as they are usually out of the system very quickly.
hamiltontruther at 07:53 PM JST - 25th June

What about murderous beatings?
888naff at 09:34 PM JST - 25th June

all this drug increase in Japan - its a foreign influnce then on japan see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/8115229.stm for further indication of which countries have more of a problem and where this is hence coming from.
Den Den at 09:46 PM JST - 25th June

Shouldn't smoke ganja, it stays in the body for two weeks. They should move onto hard drugs, they clear out in a day or two.
PepinGalarga at 11:22 PM JST - 25th June

has JSA's program been approved by the WADA? International sports organization's procedures are very strict and open to auditing and supervision.
TokyoHustla at 01:22 AM JST - 26th June

Sumo is thus vindicated. All hints that these tests are not 100% accurate and perfect need to be backed up with proof, or else they are merely claims of trolls.
MeanRingo at 05:02 AM JST - 26th June

yes TokyoHustla, Sumo has now been cleansed of dirt. Vindicated completely!
TokyoHustla at 12:32 AM JST - 29th June

MeanRingo, I agree 100%
ultradodgy at 11:16 AM JST - 29th June

They should have tested that nice long oily hair they have. Should yield a few surprises.