Japan Sumo s Death After Heavy Fall Sparks Criticism Of Medical Care By Kyoko HASEGAWA
04/30/21 AT 3:01 AM
A Japanese sumo wrestler has died a month after landing on his head during a bout and lying unattended for several minutes, raising fresh concerns about the care of fighters.
Video of 28-year-old Hibikiryu lying prone for several minutes before receiving any medical help prompted widespread criticism and questions about why doctors were not present ringside.
The lower-tier wrestler, whose real name was Mitsuki Amano, had reportedly been in hospital since the March 26 incident. He died of acute respiratory failure on Wednesday, the Japan Sumo Association said in a statement.
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Shock as Japan sumo wrestler dies after head injury
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TOKYO, April 30, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – A Japanese sumo wrestler has died after landing on his head during a bout last month in a horrifying injury that caused shockwaves and calls for reform in the sport.
Hibikiryu, a lower-tier wrestler whose real name was Mitsuki Amano, died of acute respiratory failure on Wednesday at a Tokyo hospital, the Japan Sumo Association said in a statement in the evening.
“May his soul rest in peace, and we express our heartfelt gratitude towards his contribution” to the sport, the statement said.
The 28-year-old was thrown by his opponent during a March 26 bout, and video widely shared at the time showed him lying virtually motionless but apparently conscious.