In August of 2020 the incident-filled career of sumo trickster Abi appeared to be over.
Following a series of run-ins with the sport’s governing body, the then-26-year-old was found to have visited several hostess bars in contravention of the Japan Sumo Association-imposed COVID-19 countermeasures, and subsequently lied to investigators about the extent of those transgressions.
Precedent seemed to indicate that a letter of resignation submitted by Abi on Aug. 4 would be accepted, and that the career of another promising young up-and-comer would meet a self-inflicted end.