Cairo Grappler Hits Tokyo

[Mulboyne]

[Mike Oxlong]

Sumo world gets 1st Arab wrestler

Sumo is set for its own "Arab Spring" next March, when Egyptian Abdelrahman Ahmed Shaalan takes to the dohyo in Osaka.

Shaalan, who has been given the fighting name Sunaarashi (sandstorm), joined the Otake stable in Tokyo on Tuesday morning, three years after beginning his quest to join professional sumo.

"When my foot touched the dohyo for the first time in Japan I felt power surge up through me. I thought to myself, 'I'm connected to this,'" a clearly elated Shaalan told The Daily Yomiuri moments after being accepted by stablemaster Otake.

Although he will be the first African or Arab to enter Japan's national sport, Shaalan said that doesn't bring any added pressure.

"I don't care about that," he said. "I'm just happy. I want to show people that there is no difference between black, white, Arab or Asian people. We are all human. All brothers and sisters."

At 15, Shaalan, who had already developed a massive physique through bodybuilding, first tried his hand at sumo in a friend's club in Egypt.

"I knew it was not just a normal sport when everyone from the smallest to the biggest beat me," he said. "I thought, 'Oh my God, I'm so big how can they beat me?'"

Throwing himself into the sport, he improved rapidly and within months had won a bronze medal representing Egypt at the 2008 Junior World Sumo Championships in Estonia.

"After winning a medal all I could think about was coming to Japan and joining ozumo," he said...

[Yokohammer]

Definitely an opening for some good "shake your Boody" jokes there.

But seriously folks ... sumo needs a good shot in the arm. After the recent bout-fixing revelations and the subsequent media blackout it just hasn't been the same. I've followed the sport for many years, but the old enthusiasm just isn't there anymore. Judging by the turnout at the latest bouts I'm not the only one.

Somebody ... anybody ... please make sumo fun again!

[IparryU]

The problem he faces at the moment is the quota restriction on foreign wrestlers of one per stable. There are only eight spaces available, and it looks like most stables actually prepared to train overseas wrestlers are full.

cant have them FG take over another japanese sport... wait... already dond did.