Sumo: Asashoryu extends stay in Mongolia, likely to skip Kyushu meet

TOKYO, Oct. 30 Kyodo - Mongolian yokozuna Asashoryu has decided to extend his stay in his home country
for treatment of his injured left elbow, making it highly unlikely that he will
wrestle in the upcoming Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament, his stable master
Takasago said Thursday.
Asashoryu has notified Takasago of his decision to delay his return to Japan
for five days and is now scheduled to arrive back in Tokyo next Wednesday, just
four days before the opening of the Kyushu meet at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.
''His decision means he wants to focus fully on healing his injury,'' Takasago
said. ''He has a torn muscle and (Japan Sumo Association) Chairman Musashigawa
has given the nod for his latest plan, though I can't say clearly at the moment
whether he will sit out the tournament or not.''
Asashoryu, who pulled out midway through each of the last two tournaments, left
Japan for Mongolia on Oct. 6 to receive treatment for his injured elbow.
Speculation has since grown that the 22-time Emperor's Cup winner would not
return to the ring until the New Year meet, where he is expected to put his
career on the line.
Asashoryu's career has taken a downward turn since he beat fellow Mongolian
grand champion Hakuho on the final day of the spring meet last March for the
only Emperor's Cup he has lifted since serving a two-tournament suspension for
feigning the extent of his injuries in order to skip a regional tour in the
summer of 2007.
==Kyodo