An unnervingly realistic statue of a sumo wrestler has been removed from the Tokyo Olympics equestrian course after riders complained the display was scaring their horses and preventing them from qualifying.

The rotund wrestler sat beside the 10th obstacle on the course with his arms spread and legs wide in a pre-fight pose. Several riders complained that the statue’s presence startled their horses, causing them to hesitate on the nearby jump.

Recommended Stories

Netflix’s sumo epic Sanctuary offers relief from the streaming networks’ insipid domestic fare

Deaf and blind swimmer quits US Olympic team after assistant barred from traveling to Tokyo

Everything that’s gone wrong for the Tokyo Olympics so far