July Grand Sumo Event
Japanese Sumo events are also having to make changes due to the coronavirus pandemic. March's Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka was held without spectators for the first time ever. The Japan Sumo Association (JSA) cancelled the May Grand Tournament after the nationwide state of emergency was declared. This was the third time in the organization's history that a tournament has been cancelled.
The July tournament was delayed by two weeks and moved from its usual location in Nagoya, to Tokyo to lessen the risk of infection which would be created by travel, since most of the sumo wrestlers are located in Tokyo. Even though there has been a recent rise in the number of cases in Japan, the Japan Sumo Association decided to allow about 2,500 fans per day (down from the usual 11,000 fans). There are normally six Grand Tournaments a year, three in Tokyo and one each in Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka.
In addition to changing the location and limiting spectators, the JSA has implemented other safeguards. Spectators will be required to wear masks and to sit individually in the "masuseki" boxed enclosures that normally accommodate four. They are asked not to cheer, but applauding is allowed.
The wrestlers are prohibited from going outdoors and they have been asked not to train at different stables. Wrestlers are also asked to wear masks while in their dressing rooms and to have their temperatures taken daily.
The November Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament will be moved from Fukuoka to Tokyo, again in response to the pandemic. There are so many changes due to the pandemic all over the world this year, still we are trying to stay as normal as possible.
6 comments:
Baseball players who have to play in a stadium without spectators say the lack of cheer is making it difficult to get the usual fighting spirit. So the organisers placed pictures of supporters or even dummies in the stands, and played recordings of people cheering.
I wonder if they did the same at the sumo tournament, would the wrestlers do better?
It is interesting how sporting organisations make adaptions due to the virus. The football here was played without crowds, but recorded crowd noises. Now they have moved interstate as the virus is bad in Melbourne.
I hope they stay well. Lots of college football teams are now in quarantine and also baseball has been hit by Covid.
Sadly this virus is affecting everyone. Our football teams are still playing in empty stadiums, but there are recordings of a crowd cheering. It’s weird listening to it when no one is there. You can apply to your club to have a cutout of yourself sitting in the seats.
Individual seating in boxes sounds resonably safe! It's sad how every aspect of our lives are being affected by this pandemic.
Arsenal played Chelsea yesterday and it looked so strange with no audience! They had crowd noise though.
Who would have believed this a year ago?!
Stay safe everyone!
Hugs,
Barbara xx
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