The May grand sumo tournament was cancelled due to the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic. But the sumo association took every possible precautionary measure to prevent and contain the spread of the virus at the July tournament. The 15-day meet concluded without any major problems and the fans were in for a big pleasant surprise.
Spectators back in the stands to watch live action
The opening day of the July grand sumo tournament was delayed for two weeks so the sumo association could get itself fully prepared to deal with any possible corona-related issues.
The tournament venue was also changed from Nagoya to Tokyo to prevent wrestlers and staff becoming infected while traveling to Nagoya and staying there for a month.
The sumo association also created extra dressing rooms to avoid congestion. The wrestlers were asked to disinfect their hands upon entering the arena and wear face masks at all times even when they went through their routine warm-ups