Coronavirus forces cancellation of Japan sumo tournament

Japan's sumo association said Monday it would cancel its upcoming tournament and aim to hold following one behind closed doors, as country extended a state of emergency over coronavirus. next sumo "basho" or tournament h been scheduled to begin on May 24, after organizers of nation's ancient sport delayed event by two weeks over pandemic. But chairman Hakkaku said in a statement that association h decided to cancel May tournament "in order to secure health and safety of fans and people involved."

Sumo tournament cancelled

anuncement came shortly after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe extended a state of emergency over virus until end of May. It is first cancellation of a basho since 2011 when a spring sumo tournament was scrapped over a bout-fixing scandal. That was first cancellation in more than half a century. re are usually six tournaments across Japan each year, and association said it "aims" to hold July basho without spectators and would move tournament from Nagoya in central Japan to Tokyo where sumo wrestlers are based.

outbreak in Japan has been smaller than in many countries, with around 15,000 cases and 510 deaths confirmed so far, but government declared a state of emergency in seven regions about a month ago and later expanded it nationwide. A handful of low-ranking wrestlers and trainees, as well as a stable master, have tested positive for virus. spring basho, held in March in Osaka, took place without spectators, with wrestlers surrounded by just a handful of judges in empty arena. But it was brocast live on national TV, where viewers could hear sounds rmally drowned out by crowd, including wrestlers slapping ir bellies and scraping ir feet on clay ring. Some rituals were amended, including tritional lle of water that a winning wrestler offers to next in ring. 

Im credits: AP