Asashoryu cries at a press conference on Thursday.
REUTERS

Scandal-tainted Asashoryu calls it quits

Thursday 04th February, 03:18 PM JST

TOKYO —

Mongolian grand champion Asashoryu, known for his truculent and fiery nature, said Thursday he has decided to bring an end to his illustrious but trouble-laden sumo career.

Asashoryu, 29, announced his retirement in the wake of a recent scandal in which he was alleged to have seriously injured a man in a drunken rampage.

The yokozuna was summoned by the Japan Sumo Association board of directors for questioning about the incident along with his stablemaster Takasago. He turned in his resignation, which was accepted by the JSA board.

‘‘I have no regrets about sumo. There was a big difference about what was reported in the media about the incident and what actually happened,’’ Asashoryu told reporters after being questioned by the panel. ‘‘I have caused a lot of trouble. Right now, my head is clear. In the final analysis, I needed to make the decision.’‘

The Yokozuna Deliberation Council submitted a report to the JSA recommending that Asashoryu resign after the yokozuna had announced he was calling time on his career.

‘‘This is fate for me. I feel a debt of gratitude that a boy from the prairies of Mongolia was able to become a yokozuna. My proudest moment in sumo was when I beat (former yokozuna) Musashimaru in front of my parents,’’ he said with tears welling in his eyes.

Asashoryu, who won his 25th career Emperor’s Cup at the New Year meet to move into sole possession of third place on the all-time list for most title victories, was reported to have assaulted a man outside a Tokyo nightclub in the early hours of Jan 16.

One of his managers initially said that he was the victim of the assault and Asashoryu later received a strict reprimand from JSA Chairman Musashigawa.

However, an unidentified man who apparently worked at the nightclub where the yokozuna had been drinking later emerged, reportedly telling police that Asashoryu had attacked him, causing injuries that included a broken nose.

Police said they are considering questioning Asashoryu about the incident after they hear from his accuser. On Jan 29, the two parties apparently reached a settlement, which was submitted in a report to the police on Tuesday.

The JSA on Monday formed an investigation panel to get to the bottom of Asashoryu’s alleged involvement in the incident.

‘‘We were debating today whether or not to punish Asashoryu,’’ Musashigawa said. ‘‘He felt compelled to resign for misconduct which was inexcusable, and the board accepted it. I want to apologize to all of the fans and to the person injured in the incident. We will work together to make sure there is no recurrence of this (kind of thing).’‘

Sumo’s self-styled enfant terrible, Asashoryu is no stranger to controversy and his frequent breaches of protocol, including pumping his fists in the ring, have led to an increasingly strained relationship with the sumo establishment.

Ironically, he can also be credited with raising the popularity of sumo, which has not seen a Japanese-born wrestler reach the top rank since yokozuna Takanohana retired in 2003, due to a fierce rivalry with fellow Mongolian yokozuna Hakuho.

Hakuho was inconsolable after hearing the news of the retirement of his countryman, breaking into tears.

‘‘I don’t want to believe it,’’ Hakuho said. ‘‘I was honored to wrestle in the same era as him. He was a yokozuna who pushed me to greater heights. I still believe that he has much more to accomplish in sumo. I want to tell him never to forget sumo. I will fight with his spirit in mind from now on.’‘

Asashoryu received a two-tournament ban in 2007 which sparked a bout of depression after it was revealed that he had played hooky from a summer regional tour by feigning the degree of his injuries while later taking part in a soccer match in his native Mongolia.

He has also been pilloried by the JSA for playing golf with other Mongolian wrestlers, including rival yokozuna Hakuho, immediately before last year’s summer meet.

In a 2003 bout he was disqualified for yanking the hair of compatriot Kyokushuzan, a no-no in sumo. He picked a fight with Kyokushuzan in the locker room afterward and was later accused of smashing the side mirror of the same wrestler’s car.

Asashoryu, whose real name is Dolgorsuren Dagvadorj, is the first Mongolian-born wrestler to reach sumo’s pinnacle of yokozuna.

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Latest 15 of 210 Total Comments Show All

Blue_Tiger at 03:13 PM JST - 6th February

Sure, kwatt, because he was breaking records and on-pace to totally upend Sumo...that's why he was forced out. This mystery man he allegedly beat up will remain that: a mystery....and that'sd just the way the JSA and YDC want....
Newsman at 04:29 PM JST - 6th February

It would appear that the tolerated monopoly that is the JSA needs its own practices investigated. If Asa's stable is unhappy with him, then he should be allowed to seek employment with another stable. The fact that he is not allowed that option, and therefore unable to continue his career, means that he has been blacklisted from his profession. I do not condone what has been reported in the media of his actions, but I really don't give a fig about someone's personal conduct when I watch a sporting event. I want to see the best players. Asa was the best wrestler, as far as I'm concerned. If others are content to watch lesser wrestlers vie for the cup, so be it. But you and I will both know that whoever wins the next tournament should have an astersik next to his name. (* Did not have to face Asa.)
Newsman at 04:43 PM JST - 6th February

Apologies for the typo: "asterisk".
Ruger at 06:17 PM JST - 6th February

Blue Tiger Asa was suspended for two basho for playing soccer in Mongolia when he was "injured". Maedayama was forced to retire for attending a baseball game when he was "injured" Kyokutenho was suspended for one basho for causing an accident in which the driver of the other car had minor injuries, no one was killed. Please see

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/sb20070508a3.html
Blue_Tiger at 06:28 PM JST - 6th February

Yes, Ruger, and he was asked to play in that soccer match by the Japanese Embassy in Ulaan Bator, primarily because it was hosted and presented by Hidetaka Nakata - a Japanese National Team Member - for a childrens' charity, and his own government....so what was he to do? Embarrass the Japanese Embassy and the Government in Mongolia, or enrage the JSA? You make the call. And what about Maedayama and the baseball game? Was he merely in attendance, or did he play? Was he there to see the great Lefty O'Doul, a famous American player for the Yankees at that time, or did he take batting practice? What DO we know, Ruger? It appears there is a surface story, and a lot underneath that we don't know.
kwatt at 06:40 PM JST - 6th February

Blue Tiger - If Asashoryu did not beat the man, Asa would still be a yokozuna as same as before. He should have behaved himself better when he was drunk. As far as I know no gaijin yokozuna rikisi (except Japanese ones) was kicked out in the past because they did not beat anyone (but Asa did it).
Ruger at 07:27 PM JST - 6th February

Blue Tiger, Maedayama was in attendance, when he was supposed to be hospitalized and yes Asa did play soccer. The point of my post was there was no one killed in Kyokutenho's accident as you claimed. Need to get the facts right.
jonpalombi at 01:16 AM JST - 7th February

kwatt is correct about his/her analogy to the legality of prize fighters using their fists in scuffles outside of the ring. They are considered deadly weapons and have lethal potential. Every professional warrior, be they: wrestler, boxer or MMA fighter... understand that attacking a civilian is taboo (even criminal). Do I condemn him for his actions? No. How do we judge any hard-contact athlete for crossing the line? The fans urge them to be wild and aggressive, after all. Even so, there are clearly defined rules in the JSA and the Japanese authorities about assault. Also, rikishi, especially Yokozunas, are not just sports stars, they are part of an ancient ritual. Every rikishi knows this truth.

I feel certain that many folks in this forum are aware that Asashoryu has been walking the line for some time now and must have, on some level, abandoned himself to his anger and threw caution to the wind. This was foolish, however, there can be little doubt that racism/nationalism is involved. No one can be so naive to deny such an obvious reality.

I do partially blame his Oyakata for allowing him to run loose, during the Yusho race. Had Asa been better insulated from being in the wrong place, at the wrong time... he would surely have broken every record on the books, in terms of Yokozuna performance. Such a waste of talent, yet, The former Yokozuna sunk his own ship.

Yes, it is likely to dramatically affect attendance at the next Basho. Even so, I have faith that the remaining rikishi will raise their game, so to speak, and we may be in store for some inspired Ozumo.
memyselfI at 11:03 AM JST - 7th February

Sumo will be boring without him, I still feel sumo is a boriing sport. Anyways he's a wrestler, wrestlers are always in bar fights and mischievious behavior. At least he didn't kill anybody or rape anybody.

He's arrogant all 20 year olds are arrrogant anyways.
Blue_Tiger at 10:02 PM JST - 8th February

Ruger, read my previous post again: I didn't say Kyokutenho, I said TOKI. Two different rikishi. Toki drove a car, caused an accident, and killed a fifty-year-old lady, not Kyokutenho. Toki received a one-basho suspension.

kwatt - so far, this man that Asashoryu is still a mystery man. If it realyl happened, why isn't he tellign his story? Why isn't he coming out and saying it personally? Why all the shadiness? And how do we know that Musashimaru, Akebono, or Konishiki DIDN'T? How do we know? What about Takanohana? What about Wakanohana? Surely you do not expect people to believe that these men didn't get into drunken brawls, do you? Please...
tirolchoco at 03:04 AM JST - 9th February

I don't think he did anything wrong. Sports people assault others all the time and they never get punished. Japan is too strict. Asashoryu is the best :)
Himajin at 04:42 PM JST - 9th February

Is it better he be arrested and tried? That's the trade-off here.

Are you saying no one was assaulted? That for some mysterious reason Asashoryu is being forced to quit against his will and he's going along with it? Why, pray tell?

Heh. The guy should press charges.
Blue_Tiger at 06:20 PM JST - 9th February

Hasve to find the guy, first, Himajin. But good luck with that: he's taken his JSA and YDC payoff and split or gone low profile...
jonpalombi at 10:41 AM JST - 11th February

Well guys, it all boils down to four indisputable issues:

1. Asashoryu was about to break all of the records for Yusho held by former Japanese Yokozuna.

2. Asashoryu had been in hot water before and had barely escaped being forced out by the JSA. Despite the escalating conspiracy theories, they could have ousted him before, given Asa's perceived, mischievous behavior.

3. Any sports star is arguably superior in strength, fighting experience and potential lethality, than the average human being. Now, this goes double for professional boxers, MMA fighters and Sumo rikishi.

4. Traditional Budo practitioners, local tough-boys, street-fighters and scarred barroom bouncers alike, are at an extreme disadvantage in a violent scuffle. Yokozuna, above all other grapplists, are required to follow a higher standard.

Why? Because Sumo is not only a contemporary sport, it is an ancient Budo. Sumo has a loooooong legacy and only fools and those caught-up in self-delusion, would definitely buck the system. It is both, a combination of Shinto ritual and an historic source of Japanese national pride. Fair or not fair, Asa was not blind to the imminent threat of incurring the wrath of the JSA. the colloquialism of , "Walking on thin ice" was most assuredly well known by the great Champion. Was he that unable to control his actions or was he being framed by a threatened and insecure cultural bias? We may never know for sure, given the suppression of the media in an historically proud and conduct-oriented society. Bottom line... oil and vinegar.
nondakure at 02:47 PM JST - 11th February

Asa was forced out for political reasons and now the matches will be fixed for the tall Bulgarian Kotooshu to be the next yokozuna because he gets TV ratings and makes the Japanese ladies horny.