Yokozuna Hakuho Sho officially resigned from the Japan Sumo Association (JSA), marking a significant shift in the sumo community. The resignation was formalized following a press conference in Tokyo, where Hakuho, a Mongolian-born grand champion with a record 45 elite-level tournament victories, announced his intention to establish a global sumo organization. The decision stems from an apparent disagreement with the JSA, though specific reasons remain undisclosed. Hakuho, who transitioned to a stablemaster role as Miyagino after retiring from active competition in 2021, expressed no regrets, stating his focus will now be on promoting sumo internationally, including efforts to see it included in the Olympics. The JSA accepted his resignation on the same day, ending his tenure that included overseeing 10 wrestlers in his stable. Concurrently, former yokozuna Terunofuji, now the new head of Isegahama stable, succeeded Hakuho, taking on the responsibility with a sense of duty as outlined in a separate statement. Hakuho’s departure follows the JSA’s recent dismissal of a referee for embezzling 25.19 million yen from the wrestlers’ association, an incident that has drawn attention but is not directly linked to his exit. Hakuho plans to leverage his experience to develop sumo worldwide, with no immediate details on the new organization’s structure or timeline.
34news.online
34news.online
