Sumo Hit By New Match-Fixing Allegations

Sumo Hit By New Match-Fixing Allegations: "

- Japan Sumo Association chairman Hanaregoma bows in apology during an impromptu press conference at the Ryogoku Kokugikan sumo arena in Tokyo on Wednesday, as the sport's governing body investigates cliams that wrestlers used their cellphones to assist in fixing matches. -

TOKYO—In the most damning allegation to rock the ancient sport of sumo yet, the sport’s governing body is investigating claims that as many as 13 wrestlers used their cellphones to fix matches.

If confirmed, it would mark the first time that allegations of bout-fixing—which have been around for decades—have been proven. The newest revelations come as the ancient Japanese sport faces a massive crisis of confidence, following a gambling scandal last year in which more than 60 wrestlers admitted to illegally gambling on baseball and card games, with involvement, according to media reports, by the Japanese mafia.

As part of that investigation, the Japanese police confiscated the mobile phones of some wrestlers and found messages on their phones that pointed to match-fixing, Hanaregoma, chairman of the Japan Sumo Association, said at a press conference that was broadcast live on every major TV channel in Japan.

Bowing deeply before his audience, Mr. Hanaregoma—who goes by only one name, per sumo tradition—said: “I deeply apologize from the bottom of my heart,” adding that the association wouldn’t tolerate the allegations if true. “I did not think a day like this would come,” he said.

Twelve of the 13 wrestlers were summoned before JSA in an emergency meeting today, but nothing conclusive was found during the discussions, Mr. Hanaregoma said.

”We questioned each person one by one, but we weren’t able confirm any conclusive evidence of this. We could not verify if the facts are true or not,” Mr. Hanaregoma said.

An outside investigation by a panel of seven is now underway, with the aim to conclude before the next big sumo tournament, or basho, which is set to start March 13 in Osaka.

Tokyo Metropolitan Police declined to comment on their investigation, saying they cannot discuss the matter.

If the allegations are true, it would threaten sumo’s very existence and could lead to a massive exodus of its already dwindling fan base. Japan’s most traditional sport has suffered a fall from grace over the past year, as the rigid institution of sumo struggles to adapt to a modern world in which wrestlers are no longer willing to live austere, cloistered lives within the confines of a sumo “stable,” or training ground. Moreover, public interest in sumo as a whole has waned as other more popular sports—like soccer and baseball—attract younger fans. The average age of most fans at sumo matches is well into the 50s.

Bout-fixing allegations have been around for decades. Keisuke Itai, a former wrestler, confessed in 2000 at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club in Japan that bout-fixing was common in the sumo world. Tabloid magazines and sports newspapers also have often raised suspicions of rigged bouts, though none has ever been proven conclusively.

The most high-profile allegations surfaced in 2007, when the weekly magazine Shukan Gendai published a series of stories accusing the Mongolian grand champion Asashoryu of paying his opponents to win tournaments. Mr. Asashoryu denied the allegations. The Japan Sumo Association conducted hearings for all the wrestlers allegedly involved in rigging fights, but all denied the allegations and were found not guilty.

Source: online.wsj.com

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