Kotoeiho Withdraws From Day 3 With a Cervical Disc Herniation; Kinbozan Wins by Default
West Maegashira 6 Kotoeiho (Sadogatake), 23, withdrew from the Kyushu basho on Day 3 (Nov 10), submitting a medical certificate for a cervical disc herniation (C5/6 and C6/7) expected to need about four weeks of rest and treatment, according to Jiji Press and Nikkan Sports. He was 1-1, having beaten Gonoyama (Takekuma) on Day 2. His Day 3 opponent, Kinbozan (Kise), wins by default.
His stablemaster Sadogatake (ex-sekiwake Kotonowaka) told Sports Hochi that Kotoeiho felt something wrong in his neck after his Day 1 bout and complained of numbness in his right hand at morning practice, so he went to a Fukuoka hospital, where 'there were herniations in two places in the neck.' He told Tokyo Sports, 'He said his right hand was numb and wouldn't move,' and that the doctors advised not to push him. On a return: 'He has a very strong desire to compete, so if he gets better... I'll decide while watching how he is.' Kyodo says the herniation is a chronic one.
It is his second absence, after the July 2022 basho when he was in sandanme. He is the third sekitori out this basho, after Shiroguma and Hitoshi. Daily Sports notes his beautiful shiko have made him a crowd favorite, drawing big applause at Kyushu every day.
Sources: Yahoo! Japan Sports (Jiji Press) · Yahoo! Japan Sports (Nikkan Sports) · Yahoo! Japan Sports (Sports Hochi / Sadogatake) · Yahoo! Japan Sports (Tokyo Sports / Sadogatake) · Yahoo! Japan Sports (Kyodo News) · Yahoo! Japan Sports (Daily Sports) · Yahoo! Japan Sports (Nikkan Sports) · Yahoo! Japan Sports (Sponichi) · Yahoo! Japan Sports (Kyodo News)