Yokozuna Hakuho Tests Positive for Coronavirus

Tokyo, Jan. 5 (Jiji Press)--Yokozuna grand champion Hakuho has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the Japan Sumo Association said Tuesday. The 35-year-old Mongolian-born wrestler experienced a loss of smell on Sunday and took a polymerase chain reaction test the following day, the association said. His positive test result came out Tuesday morning, it said. Hakuho will be hospitalized under the instruction of a public health office, Shibatayama, the association's public relations chief, said. The COVID-19 infection makes it impossible for the Miyagino stable wrestler to compete in the New Year grand tournament, set to take place from Sunday through Jan. 24 at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan hall. He is thus expected to miss a fourth straight tournament, a career record. Hakuho withdrew halfway through the July tournament last year as he injured his right knee. After undergoing knee surgery the following month, he skipped the September and November tournaments last year. The yokozuna promotion council has issued a warning against Hakuho, together with rival yokozuna Kakuryu, also a Mongolian-born wrestler, as they were absent from many tournaments. The association has already conducted PCR tests for all Miyagino stable members. Since December, coronavirus infection clusters have hit the Tatsunami and Arashio stables. END