May 02 (Japan Today) - The Japan Sumo Association will hold a first-aid study group on May 7 following the death of a lower-division wrestler, who suffered acute respiratory failure after hitting his head during the sport's last grand tournament in March.
Hibikiryu, whose real name was Mitsuki Amano, died Wednesday at a Tokyo hospital. The 28-year-old in the fourth-tier sandanme division was injured in a loss on March 26 when he was stretchered off the ring at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan and hospitalized.
The injured wrestler remained motionless face down in the ring for a period of time and was only shifted to a face-up position when a doctor entered the ring to attend to him.
Security guards and sumo elders serving as ringside judges at grand tournaments will take part in the training at Ryogoku Kokugikan.
Sources close to the matter said a member of the JSA's judging department has suggested having a doctor near the ring to deal with such emergencies.
