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Thursday, February 15, 2001
Akebono TOKYO -- Newly retired yokozuna Akebono returned to Japan from Hawaii today and immediately visited Tokyo to apologize to the Japan Sumo Association (JSA) for crashing his motorcycle while on vacation last week.
apologizes for
bike accident
The just-retired sumo great
returns to Japan and says he's
sorry to officials for crashStar-Bulletin news services
Akebono, also known as Chad Rowan, of Waimanalo, injured his right leg when his motorcycle hit a guard rail, but while JSA rules only bar active wrestlers from riding motorbikes, the Hawaiian-born giant knew that sumo officials will have taken a dim view of his Feb. 8 accident.
"They told me to take care not to have another accident," said Akebono after his meeting with JSA chairman Tokitsukaze at Ryogoku Kokugikan.
Tokitsukaze admitted he had given Akebono a "strongly worded warning," but refused to disclose further details of the meeting.
Akebono, sumo's first foreign-born grand champion, announced his retirement from the ancient sport last month, citing chronic pain in his knees following an injury-plagued 13-year career in which he won 11 Emperor's Cups.
Akebono, who took Japanese citizenship in 1996, retired from the ring on Jan. 22 and will be known as "sumo elder Akebono" until he can secure a share in the JSA.