Richard Riggs, from Barnsley Sumo Club, says he believes the sport is for everyone.

Sweat darkened the white "dohyo" ring mat as Ireland's first female sumo wrestler shoved and strained, learning a freshly-discovered sport. "Until then I think I was the only female sumo wrestler on ...

Don’t miss the full story, whose reporting from Reeno Hashimoto and Koji Ueda at The Associated Press is the basis of this AI-assisted article. While professional sumo wrestling in Japan maintains its ...

TOKYO (AP) — For centuries, sumo's deep links with the Shinto religion barred women from entering the ring, let alone allowing them to participate. While women remain excluded from professional sumo, ...

Sanae Takaichi, the first woman to lead Japan as prime minister, skipped a sumo awards ceremony, reflecting her cautious ...

TOKYO (AP) — Sumo is more than a sport in Japan. It’s a sacred tradition, a 1,500-year-old spectacle steeped in Shinto ritual and ceremony. But at its heart lies a long-standing taboo: women are still ...

The world of sumo could be rocked this month if Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi presents a trophy in the ring, where women have traditionally been banned. AFP looks at the ancient sport, at previous ...

The champion wrestler at each of the six professional sumo tournaments held annually is presented with a large silver trophy called the Prime Minister's Cup. The trophy is usually presented by a ...

While women remain excluded from professional sumo, more than 600 now compete at the amateur level. The Associated Press documented some of them in training, including wrestlers preparing for the Sumo ...