Yokozuna Terunofuji to Sit Out Autumn Tournament; Blames Knee Injury for Insufficient Preparation

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:40 JST, September 6, 2024

Yokozuna Terunofuji will sit out this year’s Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament, which starts Sunday, because of injuries to his left knee that rendered him unable to prepare sufficiently.

Terunofuji, 32, was not included in the list of bouts for the first day of the tournament to be held at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.

The Japan Sumo Association announced the list of matches on Friday.

Terunofuji’s absence from the tournament will be his first in two basho since the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament, leaving the Autumn Tournament without a yokozuna.

His stablemaster Isegahama said that Terunofuji informed him he would not participate in the tournament.

“He was not able o condition his body in time. His absence is mainly due to injuries to his left knee during the summer tour,” stablemaster Isegahama said.