Sumo: Ozeki Kotomitsuki admits to gambling on baseball

TOKYO, June 14 Kyodo -
Ozeki Kotomitsuki has submitted his response to a Japan Sumo Association survey
admitting that he gambled on baseball games after earlier denying involvement
in illegal betting, which had been reported in a weekly magazine, a JSA source
said Monday.
Kotomitsuki, 34, made the admission via his Sadogatake stable on Monday's
deadline for the submission of responses to a survey on sumo wrestlers'
involvement in illegal gambling.
The JSA later announced that including Kotomitsuki, 29 admitted in the survey
to betting on baseball games, while 36 were involved in gambling on activities
such as mahjong, ''hanafuda'' -- games using Japanese playing cards -- or golf
games among themselves.
A report on the 65 involved has been submitted to police, the JSA said.
Kotomitsuki is also set to be questioned by the police again about his gambling
activities and the focus will turn to whether or not he will be prosecuted.
Previously he categorically denied involvement when he was questioned by the
police as well as the JSA executive board. The JSA board is scheduled to meet
Tuesday to discuss appropriate action, including punishing the ozeki.
''I can't answer any questions regarding that issue before the upcoming
questioning by the police,'' Kotomitsuki said Monday in front of his house in
Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture.
On the question of punishment, ''I'm leaving this matter to the JSA. I'm sorry
that I've disappointed people who support me,'' he said.
According to JSA spokesman Michinoku, a decision will be made on whether to
punish Kotomitsuki after he is questioned by an executive panel about his
alleged involvement with gangsters.
Shukan Shincho published an article last month about Kotomitsuki's alleged
gambling activities. It said he is heavily in debt from gambling and has been
blackmailed by former gangsters to pay 100 million yen in hush money.
Kotomitsuki, whose real name is Keiji Tamiya, was promoted to sumo's
second-highest rank of ozeki in July 2007.
The latest incident to rock the sumo world comes after former yokozuna
Asashoryu retired in February amid allegations he assaulted a man outside a
Tokyo nightclub, while two stablemasters have been recently punished by the JSA
for providing special tickets to gang members.
''The police are investigating the matter,'' JSA Chairman Musashigawa said.
Asked if the JSA will decide on any punishment against Kotomitsuki on Tuesday,
he said, ''I don't think we can do that yet. We'll have to wait to see what
kind of action the police take.''
==Kyodo