Japan Sumo Association Suspends Yokozuna Asashoryu For Playing Soccer

One of the top stories on the TV news for the last couple days has been Sumo Grand Champion Asashoryu’s SOCCER-GATE scandal. Apparently Asa claimed he needed rest from sumo activities to recover from injuries, but he was really just taking a vacation to Mongolia so he could play in a promotional soccer game:

The Japan Sumo Association (JSA) on Wednesday suspended Yokozuna Asashoryu for two upcoming tournaments after he played in a charity soccer game in Mongolia despite having sat out a regional sumo tour in Japan after claiming to be injured.

The JSA also cut the salaries of Asashoryu and Takasago, his stablemaster, by 30 percent for four months.

After winning the Nagoya tournament, Asashoryu told the JSA on July 25 that he would not take part in the summer sumo tour, submitting a doctor’s certificate that said his injuries, including a fractured lower back and a damaged ligament, needed some six weeks to heal.

But Asashoryu played in a soccer game in his homeland, prompting JSA officials to criticize him for pulling out of the summer tour.

It is for the first time in the ancient sport that a yokozuna has been suspended from tournaments.

Here’s a video of Asa playing in the soccer match:

Scandalous?