Judge (sumo)

In sumo wrestling, a shimpan or shinpan (審判) is a ringside judge seated around the dohyō (sumo ring) to observe the match, identifying which wrestler wins the matchup and supervising the work of the in ring referee (called gyōji), to ensure that no refereeing errors are made.

Historically, the role of judge developed in the 18th century to facilitate arbitral decisions, which were subject to external pressures, before establishing itself as the ultimate decision-making authority at the end of the 19th century.In professional sumo, all judges are former wrestlers who have acquired the status of toshiyori (sumo elder) and have been assigned to the corresponding department within the Japan Sumo Association. During sumo tournaments (called honbasho), five judges sit around the dohyō, with additional elders serving as video review officials in another room. The judges command an aura of respect, reinforced by their formal, sober attire and the weight of their decisions.

The judges' main role is to ensure that all preparations for the matches are completed properly and on time, before assisting both the referee in the ring in deciding the outcome of a match and the referees on announcing duty in recording the winning techniques. If the outcome of a match is disputed, it is up to the judges to call a mono-ii to discuss the referee's decision, assisted by video refereeing.

However, the role of referees is not limited to matches. Behind the scenes, they are also responsible for establishing the banzuke, the ranking system that serves as the cornerstone of professional sumo. When wrestlers are eligible for promotion to the two highest ranks in the hierarchy (yokozuna and ōzeki), it is also their responsibility to ask the Sumo Association's board of directors to promote those selected, with their opinion serving as the basis for the promotion process and their recommendations never being ignored. Judges also serve as guardians of the etiquette associated with professional sumo, and it is their responsibility to enforce the rules and reprimand wrestlers and masters who violate them. Finally, they are responsible for organizing the matches, a role they perform every day of a tournament.