Temptations, commercial obligations drive injured sumo champ back into the ring

One of the perks of holding the highest rank in professional sumo -- yokozuna or grand champion -- is that the title is so exalted, demotion to a lower rank due to poor performance is almost unthinkable.

Unlike those in the lower ranks, should a yokozuna be hobbled by injury or illness, he can choose not to take part in a tournament, or drop out midway, and even miss several consecutive tournaments (former yokozuna Takanohana sat out seven straight tournaments due to injury from 2001 to 2002) and still return to his position. On the other hand, should he suffer a string of humiliating defeats he would be obliged to announce his retirement.

There have also been situations when yokozuna failed to demonstrate sufficient hinkaku (dignity), as was the case in February 2010 with Mongolian grand champion Asashoryu, who was involved in a drunken brawl and allegedly injured a man -- although the details to this day have never been made public. While still at the peak of his career, Asashoryu was forced to retire and leave professional sumo.

Which brings us to the newest yokozuna, Kisenosato. After winning the New Year's tournament to gain promotion to the top rank, and then making a miraculous recovery from a badly injured left bicep to win the playoff match on the March Osaka tournament's final day to take the championship, fans were overjoyed to see the local boy whack his Mongolian rivals and make good.

Prior to the start of the summer tournament on May 14, rumors flew that Kisenosato would announce a kyujo (non-participation), sitting out the 15-day tournament in order to give himself time to achieve a full recovery, while preparing for a comeback at the Nagoya tournament in July.

But to the fans' delight, Kisenosato marched into the ring on the first day, only to lose handily to a scrappy smaller rival, Yoshikaze. He lost again on Wednesday. It was clear that his left arm has not fully recovered. So why, asked Yukan Fuji (May 17), did he chose to compete?

The reason, the writer is convinced, is that Kisenosato faces a damned-if-you-do, damned-if -you-don't situation. For one thing, a huge amount of corporate prize money that is being offered for each bout he wins, and if he sits out the tournament, he would miss the chance to collect the all-time record number of kensho (packets of prize money carried home by the winner of a match).

No doubt thanks to the excitement of the new Japan-born grand champion, the total number of kensho in the May tournament is estimated as around 2,000. Kisenosato already held the individual wrestler's record of receiving over 600 such prizes in a single 15-day tournament.

Each kensho envelope contains 62,000 yen, meaning his previous tournament winnings -- above and beyond his monthly salary from the Japan Sumo Association, allowances, income from commercial endorsements and so on -- reached 37,200,000 yen.

Inquiries from potential corporate supporters, moreover, are still coming in, suggesting the figure is likely to rise further this year.

The sponsors of course want Kisenosato to win, but if he doesn't compete at all, then their prize money will go to other competitors by default, and if the companies are discouraged, it's feared that they will drop out and take their money with them.

When Kisenosato lost on the first day of the current tournament, 54 kensho envelopes with a value of 1.62 million yen instead went to his rival Yoshikaze. (When he won on the second day, he reportedly received 41 envelopes worth 1.23 million yen.)

The prize money, of course, is not the sole factor that is pressuring the wounded hero to compete. On the tournament's opening day, NHK, which has a monopoly on sumo broadcasts, posted an unusually high 15.3% viewer rating in the greater Tokyo area. Should Kisenosato not compete, viewership would almost certainly drop. Likewise, revenues from ticket sales at the Kokugikan sumo arena would also be affected. Even snacks sold at the venue, such as the "Kisenosato Bento" boxed meal, books, magazines, programs and other sumo souvenirs are all enjoying a major windfall.

Yukan Fuji also mentions that for the current tournament internet ticket scalpers have marked up prices for a Class A box seat (accommodating four adults) from 11,700 yen per person to four times that figure.

It's bad enough, the tabloid says, that Kisenosato is under heavy pressure to win under even normal circumstances. But the added pressure to avoid disappointing those who exploit his name for self-serving commercial purposes -- as he risks aggravating his injuries by competing before they have completely healed -- is even more disturbing.

© Japan Today