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  information available, but for now, bear with me while I cite just some differences as I see them:

A very major and tremendously important difference between pro- and ama-sumo is amateur sumo’s enforcement of anti-doping rules as set forth by the International Olympic Committee under its Medical Code. While charges of steroid use in pro-sumo abounds in some online discussions, there is no policy concerning this matter in Ozumo. In amateur sumo, however, the anti-doping code was adopted by the International Sumo Federation (ISF) in early 2000, with the result that anti-doping tests are
now performed during sumo competitions as well as outside the competition field. In fact, during one fairly recent championship, one of the Sumo Mailing List members was in charge of transporting the uuummm, “specimens”, to the testing areas.

Unlike Ozumo, amasumo has weight classes. The international division standards are as follows:

  • Men’s lightweight – up to 85 kg, or 187 lbs
  • Men’s middleweight – up to 115 kg, or 253 lbs
  • Men’s heavyweight – over 115 kg
    		•
  • Women’s lightweight – up to 65 kg, or 143 lbs
  • Women’s middleweight – up to 80 kg, or 178 lbs
  • Women’s heavyweight – over 80 kg

    • In addition, there are weight classes for Juniors – under 18 years of age. They are:

  • Lightweight – under 75 kg, or 165 lbs
  • Middleweight – under 100 kg, or 220 lbs
  • Heavyweight – over 100 kg

    • An “Open” division carries no weight restrictions or limitations.

    Another significant departure from pro-sumo is the manner of dress. Not of the wrestlers – although they are allowed to wear short tights (not unlike bicycle shorts) under their mawashi, and, for women, cover-up tops. The dress rules for amasumo gyoji and judges, however, are as different from pro-sumo as they can be. While most of us are used to the very colorful gyoji robes, the black hat and the ornate gunbai of Ozumo, the amasumo gyoji (who is still called gyoji in the IFS Regulations on Refereeing), is required to wear white trousers, soft white shoes, a white shirt and a black bowtie. On the other

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    Photograph by Meike Sinke