Following his brief ill-advised comeback, during which he appeared to further hurt his injured knee, maegashira 11 Kyokutaisei has once again withdrawn from competition. This seals his return to Juryo. Tachiai hopes he will take the time to seek appropriate treatment and heal before returning to the dohyo. Chiyomaru gets a much-needed freebie, and Meisei visits from Juryo on Day 12.
Speaking of Day 12, the torikumi was just posted, and the top-division matches are as predicted: Tochinoshin vs. Hakuho, Kakuryu vs. Takayasu, and Kisenosato vs. Mitakeumi. The schedulers have indeed given Endo a break, instead pulling up Abi to fight Goeido.
frustrated beyond belief! Why would Tomozuna Oyakata let this happen (or make this happen) – is nothing learned from Terunofuji, Kisenosato… Seek proper treatment, heal 100%, fight your way back not only to full health but through the lower ranks that u need to get through (Takanoiwa, Ura, Tochinoshin)…. screaming loudly now!
Preach on sister! I would hold the oyakata responsible. If you ask a 20something combat athlete if he wants to fight or go home he’s going to say “fight” every time. It’s like that daft thing they do in boxing when a man gets up from a knockdown and the referee asks “Are you OK?”- they always say “yes”. That’s why we entrust the safety of our athletes to older and supposedly wiser heads.
I don’t agree with it, but I guess I understand it. Kyokutaisei took 10 years to reach makuuchi. If he sits out to let it heal fully, there’s no guarantee he’ll ever make it back. There’s also no guarantee he won’t just get injured again anyway.
The way injuries are treated in this sport are brutal. It forces these guys to always put the short term first.