Sumo Controversy: Asashoryu downed by Chiyotaikai
Asashoryu was crowned champion of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament the other day, something that should have surprised nobody who had been keeping up with his bouts for the last week, in which he steamrolled opponent after opponent. However, the joy of his victory was soon wiped away by a controversial loss to Chiyotaikai (video below):
Look at those mats fly (when an upset occurs, it is tradition for fans to pick up their seats and throw them at the ring). Here’s what the Japan Times had to say about the match:
Ozeki Chiyotaikai gate crashed Asashoryu’s day of celebration at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament, winning controversially in Saturday’s final bout to make the yokozuna a loser moments after he had been handed his 18th Emperor’s Cup.
The yokozuna walked away from the ring the tournament champion thanks to another ozeki, Tochiazuma, who earlier beat No. 6 maegashira Ama to give Asashoryu a two-win cushion with one day left.
Ama’s fourth loss left the stage set for the yokozuna. All Asa needed to do was get in the ring, beat Chiyotaikai for the ninth straight time and then head back to the changing rooms for a celebratory beer.
Someone forgot to tell the ozeki, who had obviously decided he had nothing to lose by giving the yokozuna an almighty whipping.
Chiyo fought like a man possessed, flying through Asa’s attempts at a belt grip to barrel him toward the bales. The shocked yokozuna turned out of the attack, righted himself and started giving as good as he was getting. A left hand slap with a back swing that started somewhere behind his head was the choicest of the yokozuna’s offerings, but as so often happens when Asa finds himself up against someone one beer short of a six-pack, he lost his cool.
The slaps went astray, Chiyotaikai used his head to move his feet, and Asashoryu went into one of his suicidal dives. Chiyotaikai jumped out of the way, the referee pointed to his side of the ring, and the crowd went wild. Cushions flew, Asa seethed and a famous upset was being scripted.
But wait. Not everyone was sure the yokozuna had lost. Did Chiyotaikai grab Asashoryu’s hair to pull him down for the win?
The judges didn’t think so and stablemaster Kokonoe upheld the referee’s decision, handing a 10th win to his protege and a second loss to the yokozuna.
“Today was my chance to settle my account for the tournament,” Chiyotaikai told reporters afterward. “I put everything into the bout–and took advantage of the yokozuna’s relief at winning the championship.”
None of the video angles seem to give a clear view of Asashoryu’s hair, so it’s hard to say if any hair-grabbing took place. What does it look like to you?
