Japanese sumo wrestler Hibikiryu dies after suffering head injury during bout, shocking the sport
- Hibikiryu was conscious when he was brought to an ambulance and could talk during his time in hospital
- His death from acute respiratory failure has prompted calls for reform and more stringent safety measures
A Japanese sumo wrestler has died after landing on his head during a bout last month in a horrifying injury that caused shock waves and calls for reform in the sport.
Hibikiryu, a lower-tier wrestler whose real name was Mitsuki Amano, died of acute respiratory failure on Wednesday at a Tokyo hospital, the Japan Sumo Association said in a statement.
“May his soul rest in peace, and we express our heartfelt gratitude towards his contribution” to the sport, the statement said.
The 28-year-old was thrown by his opponent during a March 26 bout, and video widely shared at the time showed him lying virtually motionless but apparently conscious.
Sumo association officials reportedly said he did not receive medical attention from trained professionals for several minutes. The images of him lying prone without assistance caused widespread shock.