Local associations rallied for support for Taiwanese women’s sumo wrestling at the Legislature this Monday. The Legislature’s association to promote women’s sports diplomacy and Taiwan Sumo held the event to bring awareness to the challenges female athletes face and garner support for the athletes traveling to Japan to compete in the upcoming International Women’s Sumo Invitational Championship in Sakai City, Osaka.
Women’s sumo originated in Japan, where the first world championship was held in 1996. Despite the sport entering its 29th year, the associations say it remains a largely unrecognized and unpopular sport in Taiwan.
DPP Legislator Huang Jie (黃捷) highlighted Taiwan’s Chinese Professional Baseball League President Tsai Chi-chang’s (蔡其昌) quote that the government can’t love athletes only when they win, and called for more institutional support as the sport is not yet popularized in either Taiwan or Japan.
Five athletes will represent Taiwan at the upcoming sumo championship in Japan, including the team’s captain, Wang Sz-hua (王思樺). Wang shared how the team has been preparing for the competition for over two months by analyzing Japanese competitors’ videos, formulating strategies for different weight classes, and training to shorten reaction times and strengthen calculated offensive techniques.
Wang said that as long as someone enjoys a sport they should be able to participate in it, emphasizing that sports don’t have to be gatekept based on genders.
DPP Legislator Ngalim Tiunn (張雅琳) said that on the eve of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace on April 6, the Legislature will continue promoting policies that create an inclusive sports environment, including supplementing resources, improving training venues and systems, and supporting less mainstream projects so Taiwanese female athletes can be seen and respected in a diverse sports culture.
The associations show their support for the athletes ahead of their international championship on March 31, 2025. (Photo: Rti)