Read more about sumo. Sumo: description, history, rules, equipment Sumo Japan

They wear loincloths, exercise for three hours every morning, eat 8,000 calories a day and sleep with oxygen masks.

Sumo (相撲) is a type of martial arts in which two wrestlers determine the strongest on a round platform.

The birthplace of this sport is Japan.

The Japanese consider sumo to be a martial art. The tradition of sumo has been going on since ancient times, so each fight is accompanied by numerous rituals. Japan is a recognized sumo center and the only country where professional rikishi competitions are held. In the rest of the world there is only amateur sumo. Modern professional sumo combines elements of sport, martial arts, show, traditions and business.

According to the legend given there, 2500 years ago the gods Takemikazuchi and Takeminakata fought in a sumo match for the right to own Japanese islands.

According to legend, Takemikazuchi won the first fight. It is from this ancient hero that the Emperor of Japan traces his ancestry.

In addition to its main purpose, sumo was associated with the ritual of the Shinto religion. To this day, in some monasteries you can see the ritual fight between man and God.

Sumo was an important ritual of the imperial court. Representatives from all provinces were required to compete at court. The role of sumo in combat training is also known: sumo training made it possible to develop the ability to stand firmly on one’s feet in battle. The rules of sumo developed during the Heian era (794-1185). It was forbidden to grab each other by the hair, kick or hit each other in the head.

It is believed that the modern sumo platform, the dohyo, appeared around the 16th century, but the shape and size of the dohyo changed over time. So, often the usual shape was a square.

It is known that since at least the 18th century, professional sumo wrestlers began to organize the likes of traveling circuses, making tours of provinces and cities, and showing their art for money. Traces of this practice remain, for example, the tournament lists of wrestlers still contain the phrase about temple permission to perform, and tours of the provinces are still practiced in the intervals between the main tournaments of the year.

The self-organization of wrestlers, coaches and judges gave rise to fighting associations that competed with each other and ran their own tournaments and ratings. By the second half of the 20th century, after a series of splits and mergers, only one association remained, the Tokyo one, which began to be considered all-Japanese.

In parallel with the temple and court sumo, there was also street, folk, square sumo, fights of strongmen or simply townspeople and peasants for the crowd’s own amusement and amusement.

There were various wrestling games, similar to sumo, in the gay quarters, such as women's fights (often with obscene wrestling names), women's and blind men's fights, comic wrestling and the like.

Street sumo was repeatedly banned because street fights sometimes escalated into mass brawls and city riots.

Women's sumo was also subject to restrictions and practically disappeared by the beginning of the 20th century, surviving only as a rare temple ritual and at the amateur level.

The dohyo is made from a special type of compacted clay and is covered with a thin layer of sand. The fight takes place in a circle with a diameter of 4.55 m (15 shaku), the boundaries of which are laid out with special braids made of rice straw (the so-called “tawara”). In the center of the dohyo there are two white stripes indicating the starting positions of the wrestlers.

The sand around the circle (“snake eye”) is carefully leveled with brooms before the start of each bout, so that from the tracks in the sand it can be determined whether one of the opponents has touched the ground outside the circle. On the sides of the dohyo, steps are made in clay in several places so that wrestlers and gyoji (judges) can climb onto it.

The site itself and many objects surrounding it are full of Shinto symbols: the sand that covers the clay dohyo symbolizes purity; throwing salt symbolizes purification, expulsion of evil spirits; The canopy over the dohyo (yakata) is designed in the style of the roof of a Shinto shrine.

The purple flags around the roof symbolize the drift of the clouds and the changing of the seasons. The judge (gyoji), among other duties, plays the role of a Shinto priest.

The only clothing a wrestler wears during a fight is a special belt called a “mawashi”.

This is a dense wide fabric ribbon 9 meters long and 80 cm wide. Mawashi is usually wrapped in 5 turns around the naked body and between the legs, the end of the belt is secured behind the back with a knot.

An unwound mawashi will lead to the wrestler's disqualification.

High-level wrestlers have silk mawashi. Hanging ornaments called “sagari” are hung from the belt and do not perform any function other than purely decorative.

At the tournament, wrestlers in the lower divisions always have gray mawashi, while senior wrestlers have dark shades, although senior wrestlers sometimes do not follow this tradition.

The wrestlers of the two highest divisions have another, special, kesho-mawashi belt (化粧回し, 化粧廻し kesho:mawashi), which looks like an apron decorated with sewing, each in its own way, which is used only during rituals.

Holders of the highest rank of yokozuna wear a specially woven rope (tsuna or shimenawa) during rituals.

In amateur sumo, mawashi is sometimes worn over swimming trunks or shorts. The clothing and hairstyle of wrestlers is strictly regulated outside of competition.

The hair is collected in a special traditional bun at the top of the head; in the two highest divisions the hairstyle is much more complex. In addition to beauty, this hairstyle has the property of softening the blow to the crown of the head, which is possible, for example, when falling head down.

The prescriptions depend very much on the level of the wrestler. As a rule, the clothing and hairstyle prescribed for wrestlers in everyday life are very archaic. Hair styling requires a special art, almost forgotten outside of sumo and traditional theater.

Gyoji wear archaic courtly style clothing from the Muromachi era. There are strict and minute regulations determining the dress and footwear of a judge depending on his level, which allows an experienced eye to very accurately determine the rank by appearance and detail colors.

So, in the minor leagues the referees are barefoot and simply dressed. In contrast, socks and later sandals are only allowed to the highest-ranking gyoji.

A mandatory attribute of gyoji is a fan - gumbai.

In sumo it is forbidden to hit with anything other than an open palm, as well as in the eyes and genital area. It is forbidden to grab the hair, ears, fingers and the part of the mawashi covering the genitals. Chokeholds are not allowed.

Everything else is allowed, so the wrestlers’ arsenal includes slaps (“harite”), pushes, grabs by any permitted parts of the body and especially belts, thrusting the edge of the palm into the throat (“nodova”), as well as throws, various kinds of trips and sweeps.

The fight begins with a simultaneous rush of the wrestlers towards each other, followed by a collision (“tatiai”). Offensive fighting is considered good form, as well as a more successful tactic.

Tricks based on subterfuge (for example, such as "tachiai-henka", avoiding contact at the beginning of a fight), although acceptable, are not considered beautiful.

Due to the wide variety of techniques, rarely does anyone have a full arsenal of them, so there are wrestlers who are more prone to either grappling and belt wrestling (for example, ozeki Kayo), or, on the contrary, to fighting with pushes from a distance (for example, Chiyotakai).

1. - the first person to touch the ground with any part of the body other than the feet is considered a loser.

2. - the first person to touch the ground outside the circle is considered a loser

The rules stipulate special cases when the winner is declared to be the one who touches the ground first.

This is possible if at that moment the opponent was already in a obviously losing, hopeless position and could not do anything in response: he was torn off the ground and carried (or thrown) outside the circle, or another technique had already been carried out against him, the result of which was the point is completely obvious.

The clause is known as the "dead body principle". The principle makes it possible to reduce the risk of injury to attacking wrestlers, in particular, by giving them the opportunity to insure themselves when they fall.

In addition, victory is immediately awarded to the one against whom a prohibited technique was performed, for example, grabbing the hair.

Immediately after the end of the bout, the judge on the dohyo (gyoji) points to the winner, turning his fan in the direction of the dohyo from which the wrestler began the match.

Gyoji is obliged to do this always and without delay, even if the result is not obvious.

The judge's decision can be challenged by the general council of four circuit judges ("shimpan") and the chief judge ("shimpantyo"), sitting around the dohyo and interfering with the actions of the gyoji if, in their opinion, he has overlooked or made a mistake.

A video replay may be available to the side judges for the proceedings. If the winner cannot be determined after the meeting, a re-fight (torinaoshi) is scheduled. Until 1928, in such a situation a draw (azukari) was recorded.

Often the match lasts only a few seconds, as one of the wrestlers is quickly pushed out of the circle by the other, or knocked down by a throw or sweep. In rare cases, a fight can last several minutes. Particularly long matches may be paused so that the wrestlers can take a breather or tighten weakened belts.

In this case, the position and grip are clearly recorded by the gyoji, in order to accurately restore the relative position of the wrestlers on the dohyo after a timeout.

Students are accepted into sumo rooms after graduating from high school. In addition, sumo is replenished with amateurs, as a rule, after they graduate from university, if they have been able to prove themselves.

Amateurs who show good results begin their performances immediately from the third division (makushita). The upper age limit is 23 years for debutants and 25 for amateurs from student sumo.

The formation of a wrestler’s body occurs exclusively during training due to muscle gain and weight gain. The daily routine itself is dedicated to this goal. Getting up with the first rays of sun, morning toilet, then a grueling five-hour workout begins on an empty stomach, requiring full effort and utmost concentration.

After training, wrestlers take a hot bath and be sure to eat heavily, usually without restrictions, and also indulge in alcohol. After eating - a three-hour sleep, then a short workout and a light dinner.

According to a December 2013 study of 70 wrestlers in the two top divisions, the proportion of body fat ranged from 23% to 39%. However, the average fat level for sumotori across all leagues is only 14%. For comparison, among Japanese adults this figure is 15-19%.

A fighter's access to life's benefits is determined by his success. The level achieved by the wrestler determines what clothes and shoes can be worn, whether it is possible to use a mobile phone, the Internet, sleep in a common ward, in one’s own room, or even live outside the hei, etc.

The same level determines the type and volume of household responsibilities - for example, junior wrestlers get up before everyone else, clean and prepare food. They serve the elders in the bathhouse and at meals.

It is believed that this way of life creates a serious incentive: if you want to increase your status and not do menial work, train better and perform stronger.

The first World Sumo Championship, held under the auspices of the IFS, attracted a total of 73 participants from 25 different countries.

The tournament has become an annual event, and the number of participating countries continues to grow. The World Championship is held in individual and team competitions. Athletes are divided into four weight categories: light, medium, heavy and absolute weight.

In 1995, five continental amateur sumo federations were created, which hold qualifying tournaments for the right to participate in the world championship. Currently, the IFS has 84 member countries.

In 1997, the first World Sumo Championships for women were held. The Federation actively promotes women's sumo.

One of the popular national sports in Japan is sumo wrestling. Japan is the only country where sumo competitions are held at a professional level. In other countries, such as Korea, sumo is also a popular sport, but only at the amateur level.

Sumo originated in ancient times during the Yayoi era, which falls between 300 BC and 250 AD. At that time, sumo was a Shinto ritual ceremony (Shinto is the traditional religion of the Japanese people), which gradually developed into a combat match. Then, for the pleasure of the nobility of those times, sharpened bamboo piles began to be dug around the place where the duel took place. And then, the losing wrestler, falling out of the circle, was pierced by these piles, which led to indescribable delight of the audience.

During the formation of the samurai class, sumo wrestling became its privilege. In the combat training of the samurai, sumo played a significant role, as it contributed to the skill of standing firmly on one’s feet.

Sumo includes a certain ritual of preparing and conducting a fight. Before the fight began, the participants prayed for victory, sprinkled salt on the arena to drive away evil spirits underground, and then clapped their hands to attract the attention of the deity in whose honor the competition was held, this ritual is still carried out today.

In the 16th century, professional sumo tournaments began to take place. The rules of fighting changed over time and were finally developed in the 17th century and have not changed since then.

The platform for sumo is a hill of 40-60 cm, on which there is a circle called dohyo, compacted with clay and sprinkled with sand. In the center dohyo two white lines ( shikiri-sen) are the starting positions of sumo wrestlers. Finely sifted sand called "snake's eye" is poured around the arena. Using sand, you can determine whether the contact was made by a wrestler outside the arena. The diameter of the wrestling circle is 4.55 meters.

Sumo wrestlers dressed in mawashi- This is a special belt made of thick fabric, usually dark colors. This wide ribbon is wrapped around the naked body and between the legs several times and tied in a knot at the back. On mawashi there is a fringe - sagari, which is only a decoration and does not carry any semantic meaning. If the mawashi unwinds during a match, this automatically leads to the disqualification of the wrestler.

Sumo wrestlers' hair is greased and styled in a large bun at the top of the head. The referee is watching the fight ( gyoji) competitions. He is dressed in ancient ritual clothing and gives commands using a fan during the fight.

The rules of wrestling include a number of prohibitions, these are: you cannot grab an opponent by the hair, fingers, ears, you cannot use choking techniques, you cannot grab the mawashi in the genital area, you can only hit with an open palm, but you cannot hit in the eye area and genitals. All other techniques are permitted.

In the following cases, the defeat of the sumo wrestler is counted:

• the wrestler touched the ground with any part of the body other than the soles of the feet
• the wrestler was pushed out of the circle
• the wrestler performed a move prohibited for wrestling
• mawashi looked unsightly
• wrestler is announced blue-tai(by a corpse). This happens extremely rarely when the wrestler is in a position that is impossible to fight.

The fight does not last long and can last from a few seconds to several minutes. The weight of the wrestler plays a decisive, but not the main, role in victory, because the greater the weight, the easier it is to push the opponent out of the circle. Therefore, immediately before the competition, wrestlers in large quantities They drink up to 10 liters of water per day and eat fatty foods in huge quantities, increasing their weight. Sumo wrestlers weigh from 125 kg to 235 kg. But the technique of conducting a duel still plays the main role and therefore one can observe how a noticeably smaller wrestler wins the duel.

Sumo wrestling has a strict hierarchy; it depends on the skill of the wrestler. The hierarchy was established in the Edo era and exists today. Each wrestler receives a pseudonym from the instructor. After each match, wrestlers are either promoted or demoted in the circle depending on the number of appearances and their victories. Considering that the status of a wrestler depends on the number of victories, sumo wrestlers try to take part in all competitions, regardless of the fact that they have not yet recovered from injuries after previous competitions. And sumo is a rather traumatic sport. Often at competitions you can see a wrestler with bandages on his hands and knees.

There are six categories in sumo: makuuchi, juryo, makushita, sandamme, jonidan, jenokuchi.

A sumo wrestler's career begins from the lowest rank - jenokuchi, and in order to reach the highest circle - makuuchi, you need to put in a lot of strength and develop fighting skills. This requires a lot of time and physical exertion from the wrestler.

At the top of the qualification is the grand champion - yokozuna(great champion). If a wrestler reaches the yokozuna title, then, unlike other (lower) ranks, he is no longer subject to demotion even if he loses the match. But usually a yokozuna leaves the sport and does not take part in competitions if he sees that his time has passed and he does not live up to the standard of a champion.

The winner of each competition receives the Emperor's Cup and a large cash prize. Professional sumo wrestlers receive a monthly salary of $10,000 from the Japan Sumo Association, plus they receive an additional bonus for each battle won, plus there is a system of corresponding bonuses.

Sumo wrestling requires great strength and health, and huge weight also adversely affects the general condition of the wrestler, therefore, at the age of 35, sumo wrestlers retire and live quite prosperously from the funds accumulated during their professional activities, in addition, depending on their qualification level, they receive a decent pension - 5-6 thousand dollars.

Japan hosts six sumo tournaments every year. Three in Tokyo - January, May and September and one each in Osaka - in March, in Nagoya - in July and in Fukuoka - in November. Each tournament lasts 15 days, during which each wrestler competes in one match per day (excluding inferior matches if they have already been won). During the period of tournaments, the hierarchy ranking based on the results of the competition is updated daily. Wrestlers who have more victories than defeats move up the hierarchy; those who have more defeats in their arsenal are demoted in rank.

The best way to see sumo is to take part in a tournament; tickets are sold for all 15-day tours in specialized organizations, in mini-markets, at stadiums (the cheapest tickets are purchased on the day of the performance, at the stadium, special places are reserved for these tickets).

There are three types of places available for sumo lovers. These are ringside seats that are located right next to the arena (circle) in which the competition takes place. These are the most expensive places and tickets there are difficult to get. Spectators sit on cushions, on the floor and are at risk of injury when a wrestler is thrown outside the circle.

Boh seats are seats on the ground floor of the stadium, in the form of a box, divided among themselves, in which there are 4 seats - pillows on the floor. These seats are sold in 4 tickets at a time, regardless of whether there will be four people there or two. It is prohibited to wear shoes in these places.

And the third kind seats- These are balconies, in Western style. The ticket price depends on the distance from the arena. Children under 3 years old, together with their parents, attend competitions for free, but in distant places, without being provided with a separate seat.

Tickets for competitions, as a rule, are purchased in advance, otherwise there is a chance of not getting to your favorite show.

Ozeki title Kakuryu M. Anand won the Emperor's Cup in the city of Osaka, demonstrating high-class sumo and winning fourteen victories in fifteen fights.

Before the March Haru Basho tournament, the 28-year-old Mongolian hero was given the unofficial status of tsunatori (a contender for the title of yokozuna). Crane Dragon took his chance and proved that he is worthy of rising to the top of the wrestling hierarchy.

Today, the Committee of Judges unanimously decided to nominate Kakuryu for consideration by the public Yokozuna Election Committee, which will meet on Monday at the Tokyo Council.

The final decision on awarding Mangalzhalavin Anand the highest heroic title will be made on Wednesday at a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Japanese Sumo Association.
Thus, having fulfilled the Japan Sumo Association's conditions of "winning the tournament with at least 13 victories", Mangalzhavin Anand became the sixth foreigner and the fourth Mongolian to earn the highest rank of yokozuna.

71 by yokozuna Kakuryu M. Anand had previously twice lost victory in the tournament to yokozuna Hakuho Davaazhargal, losing the decisive additional bout. But this time luck smiled at him, bringing him victory at the super tournament and the highest hierarchical rank.

In the history of sumo there are cases when a hero who won the tournament 4-5 times did not become a yokozuna, like ozeki Kayo, and there are cases when a sumo wrestler who did not win the tournament was awarded the title of yokozuna. Firstly, this depends on the fact that the hero must perform well at least three tournaments in a row, winning at least 35 victories in three tournaments. Secondly, the definition of yokozuna depends on the competition of heroes in the tournament.

In the March tournament, the 69th yokozuna Hakuho Davaazhargal and the 70th yokozuna Harumafuji Byambadorj each suffered three defeats in the last days of Haru Basho.
Hakuho and Harumafuji withdrew from the Emperor's Cup due to injury. Hakuho injured the index and middle fingers of his right hand in a fight with Kotoshogiku, Harumafuji injured his right elbow in a fight with Kisenosato.

The Japanese ozeki have been in trouble since the start of the tournament.

Kotoshogiku fought for fifteen days almost using his left hand. His right arm was constrained by the pectoralis major muscle, injured in November in Kyushu. Kisenosato was unable to properly prepare for the Spring Tournament due to his right big toe injured in the January Hatsu Basho. The strongest Japanese heroes compensated for their lack of training practice with willpower. Kisenosato managed to win nine duels, Kotoshogiku - eight. Twelve victories, like great champions, were won in his native Osaka Prefecture by sekivake Goeido.

Kakuryu is the sixth foreigner and fourth Mongolian to earn the highest rank of yokozuna. Kakuryu fought 899 fights and won 519 victories. In Makuuchi he won 379 out of 656 bouts.
Mangalzhalavyn Anand was born on August 10, 1985 in Ulaanbaatar.

From early childhood, the hero became involved in sports. At the age of 8, he enrolled in the basketball section, then became interested in tennis, wrestling and boxing.

Mangaljalavin Anand followed with interest the performances of his fellow countrymen, Kyokushuzan and Kyokutenho, in Japan - and when scouts from the Hanakago school arrived in Mongolia, he was one of the first to appear before important overseas guests, but did not pass the selection.

The stubborn young man did not lose heart and began to write a letter. The cry of the soul of a young Mongol who dreamed of becoming a rikishi was translated into Japanese by his father’s colleague, a professor at the Polytechnic University. Mangaljalavin Anand sent the letter, along with his photographs, by mail to the Sumo Association on April 23, 2001. Two months later, a response came from Izutsu School.
The young Mongolian was taken under his wing by ex-sekivake Sakahoko, who had shone on the dohyo in the 1980s, the son of Tsurugamine, who also held the title of sekivake.

Parents did not prevent their son from leaving overseas. Dad, a sewer network design specialist, was an avid sports fan and believed that he would soon be able to be proud of the achievements of his beloved child.

In November 2001, under the name Kakuryu Mangaljalavyn Anand made his debut at professional dohyo. The aspiring rikishi received the first hieroglyph of his wrestling pseudonym (“Kaku”, read in other versions as “Tsuru”) in memory of Tsurugamine.

It took the lightweight Dragon Crane almost three years to rise to the third makushita division. The Mongol crossed one of the important symbolic lines after he won the competition in the 4th category - sandamme - in July 2004.

In November 2005, the strongman, who weighed just over 100 kilograms, was for the first time among the 70 strongest rikishi and was awarded the rank of sekitori. However, Kakuryu’s debut in the second elite division of Juryo was not very successful. Having suffered 10 defeats in 15 fights, he fell back into makushita.

The young Mongolian regained his sekitori status in one tournament.

The second approach to Juryo was successful. Having completed 4 basho in a row with the result of kachikoshi (predominance of victories), the athlete, who gained 30 kilograms of working weight over the year, in November 2006 received a ticket to the major league of big sumo - makuuchi.

In May 2009, the stubborn Mongol made his debut in the fourth hierarchical rank of komusubi, and before the July Nagoya Basho was appointed to sekiwake for the first time.
The Dragon Crane was awarded the Ginosho honorable mention for technical excellence seven times and was awarded the shukunsho twice for his beautiful victories over the great champion Hakuho.
In March 2012, Kakuryu was promoted to ozeki.

In March 2014, Mangaljalavin Anand won the Spring Tournament and earned the title of yokozuna.

The Dragon Crane is distinguished by excellent reaction and excellent coordination of movements. Mongolian sumo is becoming more and more powerful. Oyakata Izutsu methodically instills in his best student a combined style: his wrestling “in the belt” and tsuppari, which brought glory to his younger brother, Terao.

Kakuryu's striking right hand causes a lot of trouble to his opponents.

IN free time Mangaljalavin Anand loves watching sports broadcasts. When it comes to food, he gives preference to meat dishes, of which he especially likes yakiniku (Japanese-style kebab).
Kakuryu's height is 186 cm. Combat weight is 150 kg.

Sumo is a traditional Japanese sport in which two athletes attempt to push each other out of a circle or force each other to touch the ground with any part of their body other than their feet. In addition to the combat component, sumo combines elements of show and tradition.

The Japan Sumo Association is the organization that oversees professional sumo wrestling in Japan.

History of the emergence and development of sumo

Archaeological finds indicate that sumo was widespread in Japan already in the 3rd-6th centuries (clay haniwa figurines in the form of sumo wrestlers), and the first written mentions of sumo date back to the 7th-8th centuries (the book “Kojiki”). The book says that 2500 years ago the gods Takemikazuchi and Takeminakata fought in a sumo match for the right to own the Japanese islands. Takemikazuchi won the fight. Another mention of sumo wrestling can be found in the book Nihon Shoki, which dates back to 720. It also talks about a fight that took place between two strongmen.

The word “sumo” is derived from the Japanese verb “Sumafu” (to measure strength). From this verb the noun “sumachy” was formed, hundreds of years later it was transformed into the word “sumai”, and then into “sumo”.

During the Heian era, sumo was an important ritual of the imperial court. Representatives from all provinces were required to compete at court. There were no special judges; usually the battle was monitored by the military commanders of the palace guard; their main tasks were to suppress prohibited techniques and control the synchronization of the start. If a controversial issue arose, they turned to the aristocracy for help; if they could not make a decision, then the emperor himself made the verdict. The winner of the competition was awarded the title of champion and also received valuable prizes.

The end of the 17th century in Japan was “Golden” for sumo. The country was isolated, this gave impetus to the development of folk crafts and martial arts. Distinguished wrestlers and theater actors quickly became celebrities. Special lists were created in which the names of the best wrestlers were listed, and all their titles were noted. During this period, the rules of sumo were almost completely formed and the basic techniques were determined (72 techniques or kimarite).

In 1909 a large sports complex Kokugikan for holding sumo wrestling competitions and tournaments.

Sumo is an integral part of Japanese culture, which has been carefully preserved for generations. Every sumo wrestler must go through a very difficult path, life is such

Sumo rules

The duration of the contraction is 3 minutes for the age group 13-15 years and 5 minutes for the age group 16 years and older. If after the allotted time the winner is not determined, a re-fight (torinaoshi) is scheduled.

A sumo match begins at the command of the gyoji (judge) after performing the necessary rituals. Gyoji has the right to stop the fight one or more times due to injury, disorder in clothing (mawashi) or for any other reason independent of the wishes of the participant. The fight ends when the referee, having determined the outcome of the fight, announces: “Sebu atta!” - and pointing with his hand in the direction of the dohyo (East or West), from which the winner began the fight.

A wrestler may be declared defeated by a decision of the judges in the following cases:

• cannot continue the fight due to injury,
• uses prohibited actions,
• ends the fight on his own,
• deliberately did not rise from the starting position,
• ignoring gyoji commands,
• did not appear in the waiting sector after the second official call,
• if the maebukuro (codpiece) of the mawashi comes untied and falls off during a fight.

In sumo it is prohibited:

• strike with fists or poke with fingers;
• kick in the chest or stomach;
• grab hair;
• grab the throat;
• grab the vertical parts of the mawashi;
• wring your opponent's fingers;
• bite;
• deliver direct blows to the head.

Sumo area

Sumo competitions are held on a special square area with a side of 7.27 meters, which is called dohyo. There are 2 types of such sites:

• mori-dohyo - a clay or earthen trapezoid 34-60 cm high;
• hira-dohyo - a flat dohyo, which is used for training and for competitions in the absence of a mori-dohyo.

The arena itself is bounded around the perimeter by a rope of rice straw and is a circle with a diameter of 4.55 meters. In the center of the circle, at a distance of 70 centimeters from each other, 2 lines (shikirisen) 80 centimeters long are drawn.

Equipment

The only equipment sumo wrestlers have is a special loincloth (mawashi), tied at the waist through the groin. The width of the mawashi is 40 cm, and its length should be enough so that the bandage can be wrapped around the athlete’s torso 4-5 times. Athletes are prohibited from carrying objects that could injure an opponent (rings, bracelets, chains, etc.). The wrestler's body must be clean and dry, his fingernails and toenails must be cut short.

Sumo is a type of wrestling in a loincloth (mawashi) on a specially equipped area (dohyo).

The following weight categories are defined in sumo competitions:

• Boys 13-18 years old: up to 75 kg, up to 100 kg, over 100 kg and absolute weight category.
• Men: up to 85 kg, up to 115 kg, over 115 kg and absolute weight category.
• Women: up to 65 kg, up to 80 kg, over 80 kg and absolute weight category.

Cloth

Competitors must wear a loincloth - mawashi. However, in amateur sumo it is allowed to wear swimming trunks or tight black shorts under the mawashi. The width of the mawashi is 40 cm, there is no specific length prescribed, but the length of the mawashi should be sufficient to wrap it around the athlete's torso 4-5 times.

Athletes are prohibited from entering a fight wearing objects that could injure their opponent. This primarily applies to metal jewelry (rings, bracelets, chains, etc.). The wrestler's body must be completely clean and dry, his fingernails and toenails must be cut short. Emblem of the club, federation, number, etc. it is allowed to attach (tie) to the mawashi.

Venue: Dohyo

Sumo competitions are held on a square area with a side of 7.27 m, which is called dohyo.

There are two types of dohyo:

• mori-dohyo - a clay or earthen trapezoid 34-60 cm high;
• hira-dohyo - a flat dohyo, which is used for training and for competitions in the absence of a mori-dohyo.

The bout arena is a circle with a diameter of 4.55 m, the center of which is the intersection of two diagonal lines of the square specified in clause 5.1. The perimeter of the fighting arena is limited by a rope of rice straw - Cebu Dawara.

In the center of the circle on the eastern and western sides of the dohyo, two white starting lines (shikirisen) are applied to the surface at a distance of 70 cm from each other. The length of the shikirisen is 80 cm, width is 6 cm.

The inside of the circle is sprinkled with sand. Sand is also scattered outside the circle, along the sebu dawara, to a width of about 25 cm, to form a “control” strip - janome. In controversial cases, the presence or absence of marks on the jianome helps to correctly determine the outcome of the fight.

Composition of the panel of judges

The panel of judges includes: the chief judge of the competition, the deputy chief judge, the chief secretary, judges, informants and other service personnel.

The Chief Referee is responsible for the implementation of all provisions relating to the general rules of refereeing, including the appointment of referee teams.

Composition of the judging panel

The refereeing panel should consist of 6 people:

• team leader - simpante,
• referee - gyoji,
• 4 side judges - simpans.

Wrestling rules

Except in special situations, the following provisions determine the winner of the bout:

• the wrestler who forces the opponent to touch the dohyo with any part of the body outside the sebu-dawar wins;
• The winner is the wrestler who forces the opponent to touch the dohyo with any part of the body other than the soles of the feet, within the cebu-dawar.

Special situations include the position of shinitai (“dead body”) - a complete loss of balance, inevitably leading to defeat.

The attacker does not lose the fight by touching the dohyo with his hand in order to soften the fall and avoid injury when completing a technical action, as a result of which the opponent ends up in a shinitai position. This situation is called kabaite.

The attacker does not lose the fight by stepping behind the sebu-dawara in order to soften the fall and avoid injury when completing a technical action, as a result of which the opponent ends up in a shinitai position. This situation is called kabaiashi.

The attacker does not lose the fight by standing up for the Sebu-Davara when he, having lifted the enemy, takes him out and lowers him behind the Sebu-Davara. This situation is called okuriashi. However, the attacker loses the fight if, while carrying out this technical action, he goes behind the Sebu-Dawar with his back forward.

The attacker does not lose the fight if, when performing a winning throw, the rise of his leg touches the dohyo.

It is not a failure if the horizontal front part of the mawashi (orikomi) touches the dohyo.

A wrestler may be declared defeated by a decision of the judges in the following cases:

1. If he cannot continue the fight due to injury,
2. If he performs kinjite (prohibited acts),
3. If he ends the fight on his own,
4. If he deliberately did not rise from his starting position,
5. If he doesn't follow the gyoji's commands,
6. If he does not appear in the waiting sector after the second official call,
7. If the maebukuro (codpiece) of the mawashi comes untied and falls off during a fight.

If the fight lasts longer than the set time, but the winner is not determined, it is stopped and the fight is repeated.

Prohibited actions (kinjite):

• Punching or finger poking.
• Kicks to the chest or stomach.
• Hair grabs.
• Grab by the throat.
• Grabs the vertical parts of the mawashi.
• Wringing the opponent's fingers.
• Biting.
• Direct blows to the head.

Rituals

Sumo, like other traditional martial arts in Japan, maintains and honors rituals and etiquette.

The rituals consist of ritsu-rei (standing bow), chiritezu (water purification) and shikiri (preparation).

Chiritezu is a unique ritual that originates from the ancient Japanese custom of washing a warrior before battle.

Chiritezu is performed by both wrestlers simultaneously when entering the dohyo. They squat down in a sonoke position, balancing on their toes. The heels are lifted off the floor, the torso and head are held straight, the hands are placed on the knees. The wrestlers lower their hands and nod to each other. Then the athletes bring their outstretched arms together at chest level, spread them to the sides with their palms down and bring them back in front with a clap of their palms, straighten their arms and spread them to the sides parallel to the ground with their palms up, and at the end of the ritual turn them with their palms down.

Sikiri- pre-launch preparatory movements. The wrestlers squat down with their legs spread wide and their torso bent forward. At the same time, the hips and shoulders are held horizontally, and the hands, clenched into fists, rest on the surface of the dohyo along the shikirisen, without touching, which corresponds to the “ready!” position.

The transition from shikiri to tachiai (starting jerk-lift) must be carried out by athletes simultaneously.

Rituals are an integral and important part of sumo and must be performed without haste, with dignity and calm, emphasizing the harmony and greatness of sumo.

Fight

The duration of the fight is:

• for the age group 13-15 years - 3 minutes;
• for the age group 16-17 years - 5 minutes;
• for adults 18 years and older - 5 minutes.

If after the specified time the winner is not determined, a re-fight (torinaoshi) is scheduled.

There is no break between contractions. The next contraction begins immediately after the end of the previous one.

Calling participants

Competitors enter the dohyo-damari in the following order:

• in team competitions, the two teams to compete next must enter and position themselves in the dohyo-damari until the end of the previous match;
• in individual competitions, the wrestler must be in doha-damari 2 grabs before his own.

While on dohyo and dohyo-damari, competition participants must behave with dignity and avoid rude expressions so as not to hurt the feelings of others.

Wrestlers are invited to the dokhio by the judge-informant via a microphone in a loud and clear voice 2 times. If after the second official challenge the participant does not enter the dohyo, he is considered a failure.

Presentation of participants

Wrestlers take part in the competition under the numbers they received in the draw. The informant judge introduces all wrestlers in each weight category at the beginning of the competition by name. Before the start of each fight, the participants are introduced by name, indicating their data (age, height, weight), titles and ranks.

The beginning of the fight

The fight begins at the command of the gyoji after performing the necessary rituals.

Stopping the fight

Gyoji may stop the bout one or more times due to injury, improper clothing (mawashi), or any other reason beyond the participant's wishes.

The time spent on breaks per wrestler may be established by the Competition Regulations.

End of the fight

The fight ends when the gyoji, having determined the outcome of the fight, announces: “Sebu atta!” - and pointing with his hand in the direction of the dohyo (East or West), from which the winner began the fight. The wrestlers on this team must stop wrestling.

Announcement of the winner (katinanori)

After the end of the fight and the announcement of “Cebu atta!” gyoji and wrestlers return to their original positions.

The loser bows (rei) and leaves the dohyo. The winner assumes the sonkyo pose and, after the gyoji, pointing at him with his hand, announces: “Higashi no kachi!” (“Victory of the East!”) or “Nishi no Kati!” (“Victory of the West!”), extends his right hand to the side and down.

If the bout is terminated due to the use of a prohibited technique by one of the wrestlers, the winner is declared in the prescribed manner.

If it is impossible for one of the wrestlers to continue the fight due to injury, his opponent assumes the sonkyo position, and the gyoji, in the established order, declares him the winner.

If one of the wrestlers fails to appear, the wrestler who comes out in doha assumes the sonkyo position, and the gyoji, in the prescribed manner, declares him the winner.