Lower-division wrestler Kotokantetsu caused a stir on Jan. 9 by announcing his retirement from sumo over fears of catching COVID-19.

The Sadogatake stable wrestler broke the news himself on Twitter ¡ª avoiding a Japan Sumo Association imposed social media ban by handing in his retirement papers before heading online.

Within 48 hours of that tweet Kotokantetsu was appearing on former stablemaster Takatoriki¡¯s controversial YouTube channel where the pair had a candid discussion about the circumstances surrounding the retirement that ¡ª while disheartening ¡ª was hardly surprising.