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SOS - Shinjinrui on Sumo |
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Chris Gould
Chris sinks his teeth into how sumo can go about pulling in the younger
fans - currently so noticeable by their absence. The first of a
three-part series.
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Sumo World Championships |
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Mark Buckton
Mark Buckton reports from Sakai near Osaka, site of the latest Sumo World Championships.
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Rikishi of Old |
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Joe Kuroda
Joe Kuroda finishes off his look at former yokozuna Minanogawa.
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Sumo 101 / Eric Evaluates |
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Eric Blair
Eric expains sumo fan terminology - with the inevitable twist - for
those just getting into the sport and still subject to the know it alls.
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Age stands still for no man |
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Joe Kuroda
Former ozeki Kiyokuni will retire in November under the compulsory '65
and you are out' rule. JK takes a look at this quiet earth mover.
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Feel the Sumo |
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Eduardo de Paz
Read and feel the renowned Leonishiki's passion for all things sumo at his first live event.
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SFM Interview |
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Mark Buckton
Mark interviews Colin Carroll - again - Irish star of Sakai.
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Photo Bonanza |
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See the Aki Basho bonanza as well as the largest collection of pics you
are likely to see on the Sumo World Championships earlier in October.
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Aki Basho Summary |
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Lon Howard
Lon wraps the September Aki Basho and throws in some henka sighting results for good measure.
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Lower Division Rikishi |
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Mikko Mattila
The lower divisions, their members and results get the once over thanks to Mikko's eye of things 'beneath the curtain'.
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Kimarite Focus |
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Mikko Mattila
Mikko's latest clarification of several of the sport's plethora of kimarite.
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Amateur Angles |
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Howard Gilbert
Howard Gilbert - manager of New Zealand's amateur sumo team takes a look at the approaching Russians.
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Kokugi Konnections |
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Todd Lambert
Click on Todd's bimonthly focus on three of the best sumo sites online.
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Fan Debate |
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Facilitator - Lon Howard
Jesse Lake and Rich Pardoe hammer out their differences on a current furor - promotion criteria.
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SFM Cartoons |
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Benny Loh & Stephen Thompson
In this issue's cartoon bonanza, sit back and enjoy Benny Loh's
offerings and put a caption to Stephen Thompson's picture to win
yourselves a banzuke.
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Sumo Odds ’n’ Ends |
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SFM's interactive elements including Henka Sightings, Elevator Rikishi and Eternal Banzuke!
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Readers' Letters |
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See what our readers had to say since we last hit your screens.
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Sumo Quiz |
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The Quizmaster
Answer the Qs and win yourself next basho’s banzuke.
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(and sumo is now) a well respected sport.
MB: Do you see yourself in sumo for the long haul? Any thoughts about coaching the next generation of Dutch women yet?
I definitely want to practice sumo for a couple more
years. I still find it too challenging to quit. And I feel that I‘m
still getting stronger and technically better and better, so I really
want to see how far I can go in sumo. I’d love to be world champion
once! As long as I’m a participant myself I’m not interested in any
other functions in sumo. After that... who knows?!
MB: There has been a lot of
squabbling over the past few months concerning the now defunct World
Sumo League. Has that affected yourself or women’s sumo in any way?
No, it hasn’t affected me and I don’t think it has
affected women’s sumo in any way, because it is only related to men’s
sumo. I do think it’s a missed chance for sumo in general because it
was a way to show sumo to a large amount of people and to promote (the
sport). But, I personally don’t even know
what exactly all the squabbling was about and I think that’s the best
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way for me. I just want to fight my fights, that’s all!
MB: How was the departure (for
America) of Dutch sumo head and European Union General Secretary
Stephen Gadd, and his subsequent ban by the ISF seen by the rikishi in
the Netherlands?
I don’t have an opinion about that, and I think I should not have.
MB: One of the catalysts of
unrest in Europe has been the realization that non-Japanese men are
effectively blocked from entering the professional game at present.
Often deemed discriminatory, do you see this as comparable to women not
being allowed to step o the professional dohyo in Japan?
I don’t think it’s strange that women are not allowed to
step on a professional dohyo in Japan. Sumo has been a traditional
sport in Japan for years and years, and such a tradition can’t be
broken in just a few years. I think we have to
respect that and I don’t feel discriminated (against) at all. But lots
of things have already changed, so I don’t think it will be a
problem in the future – the same for the non-Japanese men who want to
enter the professional game. It takes
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time...
MB: Does money have a role to play in amateur sumo – in either the male or female game?
Not as far as I know, I have never won a money-prize and I think it’s
ok like that. (not having financial gain) It would be nice to get some
money to compensate the money it costs us (to participate), but it’s
not necessary.
MB: The ISF are chasing full IOC
recognition in order to take sumo into the Olympics but given the
troubles surrounding sumo today, do you see this as a realistic goal
worth pushing towards?
I think it would be fantastic if sumo became an Olympic sport. There
won’t be troubles for ever, will there? And I do think it’s realistic;
maybe not in a short time, but it’s worth fighting for. I think it’s
important to keep on trying.
MB: Hanah, thank you very much for your time and best of luck to yourself and all the Dutch team in Switzerland in 2007.
Thanks!!
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