| sumoball.jpg Australian Gladiator Viper faces off against a challenger in the 2008 revival |
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| Year Introduced | 1996 |
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| Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
| Used In | United Kingdom Sweden Australia |
| Last Used | present |
| Number of Contenders | 1 |
| Number of Gladiators | 1 |
| Time Limit | 30 seconds |
Sumo Ball is an event played in several incarnations of the television series Gladiators. In this event, contender and Gladiator are stood on a podium with a giant sumo ball between them. Participants must use the sumo ball to push their opponent off.
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On the whistle, participants must push against the sumo ball in an attempt to remove their opponent from the platform. The sumo ball itself is 2.2 metres in diameter and weighs approximately 75 kilograms whilst the platform is 5.2 metres in diameter.
The event lasts 30 seconds and contenders receive 10 points for pushing the Gladiator off and 5 points for staying on for thirty seconds.
On both sides of the sumo ball are rope handles. Both participants must keep a hold of these handles. Letting go results in disqualification. Participants are not allowed to sit down during any part of the event or allow their hands to touch the platform. Once a participant is removed from the platform, the game ends, even if they do not fall to the crash mats.
Currently there are no differences between the UK and Australian versions of the event. Sweden also played this event under the name Sumoballon.
Years active: 1996-1998
Sumo Ball was the only new event for the fifth (1996) series. During the 1997 celebrity special, two contenders were allowed to face one Gladiator.
During the sixth (1997) series, only the men played this event, with the women only playing the event once after this, during the heat in the seventh (1998) series.
A contender loss in this event was marked by the song 'Another One Bites the Dust' by Queen.
Sumo Ball did not return for the first series of the 2008 revival.
Years active: 2008-
Sumo Ball was one of three new events for the first Australian revival series.
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