Yokozuna Harumafuji assaulted wrestler with beer bottle: stablemaster

Lookin' good, Haruma.

He's done

He was drunk and doesn't remember... bow and it's onto the next thing.

Wow, As the sport really needed this now. Agreed He is done.

That's the end of his career. Why hasn't he been arrested?

The incident sent shock waves across the country

Really? Surely most people must know by now what goes on in sumo? The match fixing, the violence, the bullying, steroid use, the long-established and well known connections to underworld groups and so on.

love how they got a pic of him walking by a flag that says "out with gangsters!"

Talking about match fixing, did anyone see Kisenosato's powerful win yesterday?

Not the first time it's happened, and won't be the last. If the Japan Judo Association (or whatever it's called) could get of with murdering a young wrestler a few years ago after an in-house investigation, nothing will happen here, either, except perhaps this wrestler's will be demoted or forced to retire (especially when non-Japanese).

This "sport" became a laughing stock and irrelevant quite some time ago with all the match-fixing and abuse. It's not going to be taken any more seriously now.

It seems that Mongolians are very wild at drinking party among close fellows. Harumafuji lost bouts twice because he felt guilty about it.

I'm just relieved it was regular assault and not allegations of sexual assault. Too much of that in the news recently. But assault with a bottle is pretty brutal.

I'm just relieved it wasn't allegations of sexual assault. Hopefully, that will stay in Hollywood and the US Senate.

Like J-gals would complain

This "sport" became a laughing stock and irrelevant quite some time ago with all the match-fixing and abuse. It's not going to be taken any more seriously now.

It's all a sort of Kabuki. Needs to be appreciated as such. But still has a high worth, in my view, and also in the view of most Japanese.

Not sure what his nationality has to do with the incident. Nor Japanese women being sexually assaulted, come to think of it.

Another blot on a truly great and mesmerising sport/spectacle. Harumafuji surely must be done for - has there been an arrest yet?

He was drunk and doesn't remember... bow and it's onto the next thing.

What happened until innocent until proven guilty? He apologised, but who knows what happened? Maybe the other guy was drunk and was baiting Harumafuji about how his mum was a whore, or something?

Just let the authorities investigate. Don't assume a cover-up before anything happens.

Baited with childish mommy or daddy taunts should not result in a person being hospitalised.

The best thing to do when a drunk starts making some incoherent taunts is to ignore them.

Easier said than done, I know.

Funny how these elite, professional martial artists resort to using beer bottles when it comes to fighting.

A previous abuse case also involved juniors getting pummeled with beer bottles.

Why hasn't he been arrested?

Unless the person he assaulted files an official complaint with the police there is nothing that they can do. However according to this evenings news his stable master was quoted as saying that they have filed an official complaint with the police, now it's up to the police to decide whether or not they will investigate, and detain him He would not be "officially" arrested until the police are ready to files charges with the public prosecutors office.

This is going to affect more than just him, as it was also reported that the party was a gathering of Mongolian sumo wrestlers and any one of them could be held partially accountable, from at least the sumo associations point of view, and subject to discipline from within the sumo association.

Evidently Hakuho was at the party too!

kwatt: "It seems that Mongolians are very wild at drinking party among close fellows. Harumafuji lost bouts twice because he felt guilty about it."

This has nothing to do with nationality, save that he won't be protected by the association as a Mongolian. Plenty of Japanese match-fixing and hazing, as well as record of beating people to death. How do you explain that?

Plenty of Japanese match-fixing and hazing, as well as record of beating people to death. How do you explain that?

@smith

All people sometimes make more or less that kinda trouble while drinking a lot. Japanese wrestlers easily notice that kind trouble will make bigger issue in the sumo world and so they can't survive for sure, but Mongolian wrestlers seem not much worry about it. I ve heard one Monoglian in TV said they easily get very hot while drinking when they have argument. It seems Japanese wrestlers really need that kinda wild to win the game.

So what ?!

If it were in the UJK, he'd have used a Bottle of Acid, or either stabbed the guy or shot him - as those are the nowadays casual bar-brawl favourite items these days there.. Here however, a beer bottle over the head of a Summo.. wont really make much of a difference... unless of course these guys are really less than they're made up to be ?

Toasted HereticToday 06:35 pm JST The best thing to do when a drunk starts making some incoherent taunts is to ignore them

True, But that often doesn't work when both of them are drunk.

Not sure what his nationality has to do with the incident

It simply adds further background information( the group out drinking were Mongolians, the victim Takanoiwa was Mongoiian) so it removes any question of nationality/ethnic issues.

It's ashamed for Nihon Sumo Kyokai. The past Mongolian born Yokozune Asashoryu had behaved badly in public and now the current Mongolian born Yokozuna Harumafuji was following the footsteps of his countryman Yokozuna Asashoryu. In fact, all Mongolian men like drinking and they go wild after a few drinks. However, he should not forget he was Yokozuma and compete in Sumo which was regarded as Japanese national sports.

Yokozuna must maintain a high level standard of the Sumo tradition. Yokozuna is model for fellow Sumo wrestlers as well as children. The Mongolian politicians and peoples will say he got punished because of he was Mongolian if Yokozuna Harumafuji was punished for his misconduct by the Sumo Association. However, he should be punished for his misconduct as for example for all Sumo wrestlers as well as he should be referred to Police for assault. No one should be above the law.

Japanese people love to watch Smou. But never sit on front. sands splash and you can't eat food.

Must be difficult to arrest them.

I almost read "Yokozuna" in the title as "Yakuzana".

Aside the "barbaric entertainment" sentiment...

This is an ultimate discredation of whatever they were thinking "sport" is. Personal assault completely negates that "sportshmanship" that allowed them to continuously inflict harm upon each other for the entertainment of the masses. Quite a repugnant occurance, this age...

Why isn't this story in the crime section, and why hasn't he been arrested?

That must have been some big fat envelopes

"Regarding Takanoiwa's injury, I sincerely apologize for causing trouble to his stablemaster, his stable, the Japan Sumo Association and my stablemaster," Harumafuji said.

Please note that nowhere in this apology did he apologize to Takanoiwa for causing the injury. He only apologized to the people in charge for "causing trouble"