Taking a break from e-mailing. (Image by Arcimboldo.)

The Japanese sport of sumo wrestling has always been a dicey business. The industry has been linked to yakuza, match fixing and illicit gambling. A recent betting scandal has convinced officials at the JSA (Japan Sumo Association) that they need to improve communication between themselves and the organization’s wrestlers. The problem? The rotund athletes’ fingers are so large that they aren’t able to execute keyboard strikes and remain in email contact with the supervisors. The solution? The JSA has purchased iPads for their beefy, large-fingered competitors, to make emailing easier for them. Thanks to Marginal Revolution for pointing me in the direction of this BBC article on the topic. An excerpt:

“The sport’s authorities were criticised for their clumsy efforts to investigate the scandals, in part due poor communication between sumo leaders. The iPads are intended to speed up communication between JSA officials, wrestlers and coaches, who have until now relied on telephone or fax.

‘We will hand out the newest iPads to all the sumo stables to swiftly communicate what we need to,’ JSA vice chairman Hiroyoshi Murayama said.

Many Japanese newspapers also reported that the iPad had been chosen because of its large touch-screen keys that can be easily prodded by the giant wrestlers. ‘When they try to send e-mail on mobile phones or PCs they often end up pressing two or three keys at once,’ said the daily Nikkan Sports.“