Day 456

• The major scandal surrounding Ozeki Asanoyama and a visit during the last tournament to a hostess bar (in violation of not only COVID restrictions, but also a violation of the decency that such a high-ranking sumo wrestler is supposed to carry himself as) has reached at least a temporary conclusion.
• Asanoyama offered to retire from the sport.  This was rejected.
• Instead, he's been banned one full year from the sport, six tournaments, and his salary slashed in half for the next six months.
• This will demote him all the way from Ozeki #1 West (the highest ranking non-Yokozuna), possibly all the way to the third semi-professional level, Sandamne, in which it would take him three further tournaments to re-enter the 42-man top areas.  Meaning, to even get back to the top tier will be 2023 at the earliest.
• Because of one of the policies of sumo with respect to Yokozuna, he probably has killed any opportunity of ever reaching Grand Champion status.
• As such, I think they should've rejected his retirement, and then banned him from the sport for life.  
• Two major sponsors of the Copa America pulled their support from the tournament in protest of holding the tournament during the pandemic on Wednesday.
• The Brazilian Supreme Court turned back THREE injunctions to try to stop the tournament.
• The tournament begins Sunday.  Final Fantasy X:  "At least we have blitz..."   
• Euro 2021 finally began today, a pan-European event.  Italy beat Turkey 3-0.