JAPAN: Troubled sumo grand champion Asashoryu, born Dolgorsuren Dagvadorj, retires from the ancient sport in a traditional retirement ceremony

Record ID: 465271

  • Title: JAPAN: Troubled sumo grand champion Asashoryu, born Dolgorsuren Dagvadorj, retires from the ancient sport in a traditional retirement ceremony
  • Date: 5th October 2010
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (FILE - JANUARY 2010) (REUTERS) ASASHORYU ENTERING SHRINE'S MAIN COURTYARD DURING SACRED NEW YEAR'S RITE AT A SHINTO SHRINE SPECTATORS ASASHORYU, TWO OTHER SUMO WRESTLERS AND SHRINE OFFICIALS POSITIONING THEMSELVES ASASHORYU PERFORMING NEW YEAR'S RITE SUMO ASSOCIATION OFFICIALS WATCHING MORE OF ASASHORYU OFFERING NEW YEAR'S RITE
  • Embargoed: 20th October 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: People,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA5C9PWGQ1H84YJHN8TIAVG56V1
  • Story Text: Troubled sumo grand champion Asashoryu retired from the ancient sport at a tear-filled retirement ceremony on Sunday (October 3), following a probe into reports of a drunken scuffle in Tokyo earlier this year.
    National sumo stadium in Tokyo was filled with Asashoryu's fans trying to get a glimpse of the sumo star's last appearance on the sumo ring.
    Thousands of fans, celebrities and government officials cheered when Asashoryu walked into the stadium.
    In accordance with tradition, the grand champion's hair was cut. The cutting of the 'mage', which is a top knot tied into a shape of a ginkgo leaf --- was the main event of the sumo retirement ceremony.
    Former prime ministers, celebrities, fellow sumo wrestlers, friends and family lined up to cut his mage, which was completely cut off by Asashoryu's stable master Takasago during the finale of the ceremony.
    "I love my motherland Mongolia as well as Japan, which helped me grow up," said Asashoryu dabbing his eyes in front of the audience.
    He then walked away from the podium, kissed the sumo ring good-bye and left the stadium while being surrounded by his fans.
    Despite often being embroiled in controversy outside the sumo ring, Asashoryu is beloved by fans for his exploits in it.
    Japanese broadcasters flashed news bulletins on his retirement, later telecasting his farewell announcement.
    Asashoryu, born Dolgorsuren Dagvadorj, won his 25th Emperor's Cup in January, but sumo officials took a dim view of his breach of discipline.
    The head of Asashoryu's sumo stable told Japanese media earlier this year that the Mongolian grand champion had been too drunk to remember the reported incident outside a nightclub in the early hours of Jan. 16.
    Asashoryu has frequently been at odds with the sport's hierarchy during an explosive career, for everything from pulling an opponent's hair to starting a soapy bathroom brawl during a post-bout soak.
    In 2007, Asashoryu was suspended after being caught playing soccer in Mongolia and forging a doctor's note for an apparent back injury.
    That suspension triggered a bout of clinical depression, leading Asashoryu to seek solace at a luxury spa resort in his native country.
    His retirement left the traditional sport, with origins dating back to the mythological founding of Japan, with only one yokozuna -- fellow Mongolian Hakuho.
    In recent years sumo has attracted many foreign wrestlers, while most young Japanese have shunned the sport's harsh lifestyle, exhausting training and rigid traditions.
    Japanese media reports that Asashoryu plans to seek a career in business, politics and even acting after his retirement.
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