Sunday, Nov. 9, 2008

By MICHAEL G. DRIVER

Ichihara, Chiba

Regarding the Nov. 2 article "God forbid if sumo goes the way of pro wrestling": I doubt that sumo will ever be legally listed as an entertainment, because I think it's on the up and up most of the time. As for yaocho (match-fixing) and dekiyama (predetermined outcome), I would have to have been born yesterday to believe that the sumo world is untainted. My father introduced me to sumo in 1954.

What should concern sumo fans is that a stablemaster (was indicted in February) for his responsibility in the death of a teenager who wanted to leave sumo. Three deshi (trainees) beat the 17-year-old to a bruised pulp and subsequently sat in court for carrying out their stablemaster's wishes. "Steeped in tradition" doesn't trump manslaughter, intended or unintended.

If anything kills sumo, it will be young hunks not signing up in favor of sports that don't condone bashing a trainee with a beer bottle and having blows delivered with a bat to improve performance. "Captain Bligh" in the ring won't do in the 21st century. God forbid that sumo continues to inflict cruel training methods under the guise of discipline.

The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.

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