Rohō Yukio

Sumo wrestler infobox
wrestlername = 露鵬 幸生 Rohō Yukio


birthname = Soslan Feliksovich Boradzov
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1980|3|9
placeofbirth = Russia
height = height|meters=1.95
weight = convert|153|kg|lb|abbr=on|lk=on
heya = Ōtake, formerly Taihō
rank =
record = 267-198-18
debut = May, 2002
highestrank = Komusubi (March, 2006)
retireddate = September, 2008
yushos = 1 (Jonidan) 1 (Jonokuchi)
prizes = Fighting Spirit (1)
goldstars =
update = September 2008

Rohō Yukio (born March 9, 1980 as Soslan Feliksovich Boradzov, _ru. Сослан Феликсович Борадзов, in Vladikavkaz, Republic of North Ossetia-Alania in the Russian Federation) is a former sumo wrestler. The highest rank he achieved was "komusubi". His younger brother is also a former sumo wrestler, under the name of Hakurozan. In September 2008 both were banned from the sport for life after testing positive for cannabis.

Career

Rohō began wrestling at the age of 16. At the age of 18 he won the world junior freestyle championship. As his weight increased beyond 130kg he was unable to continue wrestling, so he took up sumo at the age of 20. In 2001 he came third in the heavyweight class in the Sumo World Championships, and won the European championship.

He came to Japan in February 2002 with his brother, joining the stable of former "Yokozuna" Taihō (since transferred to Taihō's son-in-law, the former Takatōriki, and renamed Ōtake stable). His first appearance was in May 2002, and he won his first 19 bouts. He was promoted to "jūryō" in January 2004, then "makuuchi" for the September 2004 tournament. His result was 10-5 in this tournament, earning him the Fighting Spirit prize. He also achieved 10 wins in the November 2004 tournament, and by May 2005 reached "maegashira" 1, but suffered a losing tournament and so failed to reach "sanyaku". In the next tournament, as a result of a leg injury, he only achieved 3 wins, with 8 losses and 4 absences. He won 8 bouts in the September tournament, then 10 in November (the same as his brother Hakurozan). In January 2006, ranked "maegashira" 2, he won 9 bouts and achieved promotion to east "komusubi", the first Russian to reach this rank. In March of the same year he won only 4 bouts.

By the end of the sixth day of the July tournament he had achieved 4 wins and 2 losses. On the seventh day following a loss to Chiyotaikai, the two glared at each other and exchanged angry words. He later smashed a glass door of the bathroom and received a strong warning, but later assaulted two cameramen [cite web | author= | title="Roho attacks two photographers" | publisher=Japan Times Online | language=English | url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ss20060716a2.html | date=2006-07-16 | accessdate=2007-05-13] and was punished by suspension for three days. [cite web | author= | title="Roho hit with three-day suspension" | publisher=Japan Times Online | language=English | url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ss20060717a2.html | date=2006-07-17 | accessdate=2007-05-13] He returned on the 11th day to beat Kotoshōgiku, and went on to achieve a satisfactory 8-5-2 record for the tournament. In the next tournament, as M1, he achieved a good result of 10-5, returning to "komusubi" for November. Unusually, there were four "komusubi" in that tournament, as Aminishiki had achieved 11 wins in September, and Kisenosato and Kokkai had both achieved kachi-koshi.

After a poor 3-12 showing in January 2007 Rohō was demoted from "komusubi". Back in the mid-"maegashira" ranks for March, he surprisingly failed to achieve a winning tournament, falling to his eighth defeat on the final day. Controversy continued to follow Rohō into the 2007 May tournament, where after a day one loss against Miyabiyama, Rohō claimed that he was not ready to start the bout and that it should have been declared a false start. [cite web | author=Kuroda, Kenjiro | title="Roho laboring under bad-boy tag" | publisher=Daily Yomiuri Online| language=English | url=http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/sports/20070620TDY22008.htm| date=2007-06-20| accessdate=2007-06-20] However, neither the referee nor the judges intervened at the time and the result stood. In an interview after the match, Rohō questioned the referee's judgement. After criticism from the Sumo Association that such behaviour was not appropriate for a sumo wrestler, Rohō apologised. He ended the tournament with a solid 10-5 record. In July 2007, after winning his first three bouts, he injured his back and had to withdraw from the tournament. He remained in the middle "maegashira" ranks after that, and did not look like returning to "sanyaku". He had to withdraw from the May 2008 tournament after injuring his back once again, but he had already attained eight wins.

His favourite techniques were "migi-yotsu", "yori" and "uwatenage", although later he began relying more on sidesteps and pull-downs. [cite web|author=|title=Top Ten Techniques Used By Roho During The Last Six Tournaments |publisher=Japan Sumo Association|url=http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/ozumo_meikan/rikishi_joho/rikishi.php?A=2486|date=|accessdate=2008-05-27] His interests are Russian cinema and music. He is a fan of Russian wrestler Fedor Emelianenko.

Cannabis scandal and dismissal

On September 2, 2008, he and his brother Hakurozan had a positive test result for cannabis. [cite web|url=http://ca.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idCAT12793120080902|title=Two sumo wrestlers test positive for marijuana|publisher=Reuters|date=2008-09-02|accessdate=2008-09-02] This test occurred less than two weeks after fellow Russian Wakanohō was sacked after being arrested for cannabis possession, and the surprise inspection was taken on all 69 "jūryō" and higher ranked wrestlers, including the two "yokozuna". [cite web|title= Roho, brother deny smoking dope|publisher=Yomiuri Shimbun|url=http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/sports/20080904TDY01306.htm|date=2008-09-04|accessdate=2008-09-04] Although the Metropolitan Police Department have questioned the two wrestlers and searched their rooms, it was not immediately clear if any further legal action would be taken because it is not illegal to be found to have used it in the Japanese law. [cite web|title= Russian sumo wrestlers expelled for marijuana |publisher=Associated Press|url=http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_JAPAN_SUMO_SCANDAL_ASOL-?SITE=YOMIURI&SECTION=HOSTED_ASIA&TEMPLATE=ap_national.html|date=2008-09-08|accessdate=2008-09-08]

On September 6, Roho and Hakurozan failed a second, more detailed set of doping tests, [cite web|title= Kitanoumi stays mum over tests|publisher=Yomiuri Shimbun|url=http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20080908TDY02306.htm|date=2008-09-08|accessdate=2008-09-08] and he announced that he would not accept the outcome of a second positive reading for drug use on the next day. [cite web|title= Wrestlers fail 2nd dope test|publisher=Asahi Shimbun|url=http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200809080075.html|date=2008-09-08|accessdate=2008-09-08]

On September 8, the Japan Sumo Association held a meeting of the board of directors and decided on the dismissals of Rohō and Hakurozan. [cite web|title=Japan bans Russian sumo wrestlers|publisher=CNN|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/09/08/japan.sumo.ap/index.html|date=2008-09-08|accessdate=2008-09-09] [cite web|title=Kitanoumi resigns over pot scandals / JSA kicks out 2 Russian sibling sumo wrestlers|publisher=Yomiuri Shimbun|url=http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20080909TDY01304.htm|date=2008-09-09|accessdate=2008-09-09] Both wrestlers have now moved out of their respective stables but continue to deny any wrongdoing. Hakurozan has suggested they will sue the Prevention Committee responsible for the tests. However it was reported by the Sumo Association that the brothers had admitted to officials at the testing that they had smoked cannabis whilst on a tour of Los Angeles in June. [cite web|title=Roho, Hakurozan 'smoked pot in L.A.'|publisher=Daily Yomiuri|url=http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20080910TDY02302.htm|date=2008-09-10|accessdate=2008-09-10]

Top division record

References

ee also

*Glossary of sumo terms
*List of past sumo wrestlers

External links

* [http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/ozumo_meikan/rikishi_joho/rikishi_2486.html Japanese Sumo Association Biography]
* [http://www.szumo.hu/sekitori/Roho.html Rohō's basho results]