World Sumo League

[Tetsuzukiyama]

Any guesses as to what will happen if the WSL folds? Banned for life?

[Sasanishiki]

Well, regardless of how well Adachinoryu is informed, we can't tell because nobody has been banned yet. The word on the street is that the IFS might ban people who go to WSL but they only really have jurisdiction over IFS-run events, namely the World Sumo Championships and the Junior World Sumo Championships. I'm pretty sure there aren't any juniors/under-18s competing in WSL anyway so we'll have to wait until October to see if any competitors are deemed ineligible.

If athletes are banned then I have no idea how long it might be for or whether they would make it permanent. I'm sure some athletes would retire from the World Champs (and perhaps from the sport altogether). An example would be Torsten Scheibler who is already 37 (I think). Still, excluding people from the sport is a pretty big call, even though I see the principle on which it is based, as amateur sumo is looking to expand its worldwide numbers. I believe, for example, that the entire Bulgarian team from the last World Champs are competing in the WSL events in the US at the moment. A number of the Poles were involved last year in NY but I'm not sure if they are currently competing in WSL, and I'm pretty sure the Norwegians (two of them) are active in WSL. Banning athletes could effectively wipe entire countries from the sumo map...

[yamaneko]

I just saw an email that said the WSL was cancelled....is this true?

I wonder if the IFS will make an exception for the guys in there, and allow them back into Amasumo. A LOT of top international talent Stiliyan georgiev, petar stoyanav of bulgaria, torsten schilber of germany, carl pappalardo, wayne vierra of USA, and more.

Would be shame if those and the rest are banned for life

[Mark Buckton]

I just saw an email that said the WSL was cancelled

private or on a forum?

They'll be allowed back in but I doubt Vierra will bother. He would have been a yokozuna you know.

[Ryukaze]

Hey anything to get Amateur Sumo some attention, (or sumo outside of Japan for that matter..) if it takes goofy guys in suits and crap to get the sport in the door till people actually want to learn more about it and appreciate the sport as it is sounds like a win/win to me. Also screw what the I.F.S. thinks, (they might as well change their name to the "European" Sumo leage so it fits, international pah!) It's too bad this "WSL" features only heavyweights ......... (Taking a photo...)

p.s. No I don't think Wayne Vierra would have been a Yokozuna....

Edited June 19, 2006 by Ryukaze

[Guest iwajima]

I agree Vierra would not have been able to cut it, no matter what any of so called the experts say.

[Sasanishiki]

I'm going (Taking a photo...) ... Good to see you back Ryukaze. It has been a long, long time.

[Ryukaze]

Hey thanks bro, it's nice to feel missed (although I doubt there are too many of you out there lol) but good to hear from you too. Just took a lil break is all but I'm back so time to get this ball rolling again.......-

[yamaneko]

Now i got an email from a WSL participant, that its not completely cancelled, just postponed for a month, while big boy takes over all of the marketing because they werent happy with how it was being marketed.