Pre-basho sumo news

["Thierry PERRAN" <thierry.perran@club-internet.fr>]

Hi everybody,

As usual, an official weighting session of all sekitori was done today (24th
of April)  by NSK, and here are the most interesting 'Natsu test results',
compared with 'Haru test results' :

Yokozuna Asashoryu : +2 kg ( from 137 kg to 139 kg, that's a new record for
him !)
Ozeki Chiyotaikai : -2kg (from 158 kg in Haru to 156 kg)
Ozeki Kaio : -3 kg (from 174 kg in Haru to 171 kg)
Sekiwake Wakanosato : -10 kg (from 161 kg in Haru to 151 kg, what a loss in
2 months !)
The average weight of all the 66 sekitori is now 155.4 kg, that a 1.3 kg
loss in 2 two monts.

For the first in sumo history, most of the sekitori (66 in total) will be
former student champion (27 in total) or foreigner (7 in total). The fact
that 'standard' sekitori is now a minority in the sumo world may be quite
frustrating for NSK board and all the oyakata in Japan.

Last but not least, it seems that there is a conflict between the yokozuna
council and NSK chairman about yokozuna promotion for Chiyotaikai in case of
victory. For Kitanoumi, a yokozuna drive can't be launched from a 'poor'
12-3 yusho, and Kitanoumu said that even with a clean 15-0 zensho yusho,
Chiyotaikai wouldn't be promoted. However, one guy (probably named Funamura)
said that, considering the need for a japanese yokozuna, he felt that
Chyiotaikai is mentally and physically strong enough to handle the duty of a
yokozuna. So, in case Chiyotaikai gets his fourth yusho in the coming Natsu
basho, the yokozuna council would surely put a green light for a promotion,
and Kitanoumi as the NSK chairman would surely turn down this piece of
advice. I guess it would be the first time (correct me if I am wrong). What
a possible mess for NSK.

Greetings from Paris,

Thierry