SUMO

JSA to discuss retirement pay for Asashoryu

Monday 08th February, 06:42 AM JST

TOKYO —

The Japan Sumo Association said Sunday it will hold a board meeting Wednesday to discuss how much retirement pay it will award former yokozuna Asashoryu, who last week announced he was quitting the sport following allegations he attacked a man outside a Tokyo night club.

The special package is paid to sumo elders who reach retirement age and grand champions and ozeki when they decide to step down from the raised ring, with the amount normally based on achievements in the ring.

Former yokozuna Takanohana, a 22 Emperor’s Cup winner, was awarded the biggest ever payout of 130 million yen after he retired in 2003.

Asashoryu won 25 titles, the most recent at last year’s New Year basho, but it remains to be seen how a string of scandals involving the troubled yokozuna over the years will affect his payoff.

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14 Comments

thebottomline at 08:48 AM JST - 8th February

Pay him nicely! I know he is the one that made me watch and go to the Kokugikan.
Beelzebub at 09:40 AM JST - 8th February

Hold back the 10% tax and pay him the rest in Mongolian tugriks at the Ulan Bator Savings & Loan. He'll have enough to buy the other half of Mongolia that he doesn't already own.
ironchef at 11:31 AM JST - 8th February

He definitely deserves to be paid well. He's the most dominant yokozuna ever and probably will be for a long time to come.
seeker1 at 11:50 AM JST - 8th February

IF he gets less than Takanohana, all hell's going to break loose. He deserves a lot. He came in when Sumo was at an all-time low, and brought it back. Sure there were scandals, but that should not take away from his performance on the dohyo and the popularity he generated for Sumo.
cracaphat at 12:38 PM JST - 8th February

Though Asa was dominant,P2P Taka was better,but Asa more popular.
BurakuminDes at 01:25 PM JST - 8th February

Asa put a lot of bums on seats, and put the TV ratings thru the roof whenever he fought. Pay him a truckload. As for the 130M Yen man, that slimy Takanohana...hmm...serious questions still remain as to how he bulked up during his career and then slimmed down rapidly. Maybe he should front an enquiry ALA Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire etc!
Ranger_Miffy at 02:03 PM JST - 8th February

Pay Asashoryu more than anyone ever! He deserves it, especially for what he put up with from the Sumo Kyokai. Watch ticket sales plummet. Yes yes yes, he shouldn't have punched that low-life out, but he left after finally being harassed to pieces.
Junnama at 02:11 PM JST - 8th February

Word on the street is...and I know you're not going to believe this... but Asa has not managed his money very well and he really needs a good Taishokukin payment. Anyway, he deserves as much as Takanohana I would say....
majimeaussie at 02:19 PM JST - 8th February

the amount normally based on achievements in the ring

Takanohana 22 yusho and 130 million. Asa has 25 yusho so based on achievements in the ring 130 x 25 / 22 = 147.7 million

Is there any farer way to calculate it based on the criteria given?
some14some at 02:57 PM JST - 8th February

10% pay cut seems normal practice here what is there to discuss?
Sarge at 03:02 PM JST - 8th February

They should pay him a big fat severance bonus for contributing to the popularity of sumo.
goddog at 04:13 PM JST - 8th February

Actually not much money compared to what the Pro baseball people make in the states. That is why I do not watch American Baseball.
Blue_Tiger at 09:53 PM JST - 8th February

They'll give him a cut, but not the full amount. After all: he disgraced the sport by being too good....er, by beign foreign...er, by winning so much he was on pace to break all of Sumo's records....er, he just disgraced the sport!!!!
Asashoryuu at 03:01 AM JST - 9th February

Blue Tiger you are real old fashioned sumo fan.

Let go what was done.

JSA so hard!

$1.4 mil it’s nothing man! It’s just to survive to pay bills!