Mongolian yokozuna Asashoryu was diagnosed Thursday as having an inflammation in his right ankle that requires about four weeks to heal, making his appearance in the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament uncertain.
The 27-year-old had an examination at a Tokyo hospital after returning to the raised-ring in a winter regional tour in Oita Prefecture which ended Tuesday.
The New Year's meet is set to open Jan. 13 at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan.
"I can't adequately control my strength," Asashoryu, who taped his right ankle during the tour, said Tuesday.
"I would like to see how my right ankle works for the time being." Despite the inflammation in the joint of his right ankle arising from the old injury, Asashoryu is enthusiastic about resuming practices in his Takasago stable on Sunday, according to sources close to him.