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159096
Sun, 02/06/2011 - 17:03
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https://www.oananews.org//node/159096
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Sumo: JSA chief apologizes for unforgivable match-fixing scandal
TOKYO, Feb. 6 Kyodo - Japan Sumo Association Chairman Hanaregoma said on Sunday the decision to cancel the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in the wake of a match-fixing scandal was reached because the national sport's betrayal of sumo fans was unforgivable.
Hanaregoma said it would be impossible to hold the Osaka meet scheduled to begin March 13 under the current circumstances as it would only cause confusion among fans and wrestlers who were not involved, whom he said he cannot apologize enough to.
A total of 14 people were implicated in match fixing when police inadvertently found text messages suggesting bouts were rigged during a separate investigation into a gambling ring last year.
Rumors of bout rigging linked to the Japanese underworld have plagued sumo for decades, but nothing has ever been proven.
''We have decided to give up on holding the spring meet. Until we can completely root out corruption in the sport, we cannot show sumo on the ring,'' said Hanaregoma. ''After betraying our fans, we must do everything in our power, acting swiftly to uncover the facts surrounding the scandal as soon as possible,'' he said.
''This is the worst stain in the history of sumo. There is no way we can gain the understanding of our fans to hold the meet under these circumstances,'' he added.
Hanaregoma said the other reason for calling off the Osaka meet was that a special investigative panel will need more time to uncover the truth as phone records must be examined while further interrogations of JSA members are being conducted.
It is the first time ever that the JSA will cancel a tournament because of a scandal. The summer meet of 1946 was scrapped, but that was due to a delay in renovation work at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, which had been damaged during World War II.
The JSA board made the final decision and it was approved by a council made up of sumo elders. All training tours have also been called off for the year.
The summer meet scheduled to be held in May could also be in jeopardy, as it is unclear how long the investigation will take.
Sumo has been hit by a spate of scandals that have badly damaged the sport's image in recent years.
Last year former ozeki Kotomitsuki and several other wrestlers were kicked out of the sport while others were suspended or demoted after admitting involvement in a gambling ring linked to gangsters.
The JSA held the Nagoya basho in July, even after public broadcaster NHK canceled its live coverage of the tournament, promising to root out ''antisocial forces'' in the national sport.
The special investigative panel, led by Shigeru Ito who holds a special position at Waseda University, has conducted a survey of all JSA members but only three of the 14 implicated have so far admitted to throwing bouts for cash.
Chiyohakuho, Enatsukasa and sumo elder Takenawa, who was known as Kasuganishiki while in the ring, have all admitted to their involvement in the bout rigging and are likely to be dismissed without severance pay. The 11 others have denied involvement.
No punishments have been decided yet, and the investigative panel will begin questioning all wrestlers in sumo's top two divisions, including yokozuna Hakuho and ozeki wrestlers, anew on Monday. The panel expects questioning to take about two weeks.
Phone records and text messages of the 14 who have submitted their phones will be analyzed and checked against actual video footage of the bouts in question, Ito said, adding that premier wrestlers could also be asked to submit their cellphones.
''It might take one or two months to examine all the cellphones. But we plan to vigilantly check them,'' Ito said.
Former yokozuna Takanohana, who is now one of the top sumo elders in the cloistered and ritualized sumo world, said, ''I can't answer any questions, so please forgive me!'' as he walked off in a hurry.
Miyagino, sumo elder to Hakuho, said he would not let the biggest crisis to hit the ancient sport from derailing the lone yokozuna's title winning streak that was extended to six in a row at the New Year meet last month.
''We will continue training looking toward the May basho. I cannot allow him (Hakuho) to snap his winning streak,'' he said.
There were some sumo elders who had requested that the Osaka meet be held behind closed doors without spectators as a way of evaluating performances, but that idea was also scrapped in the end.
''This is really embarrassing. Everyone feels that we have to protect sumo from being pushed out of existence,'' said sumo elder Yamawake.
Hanaregoma said it would be impossible to hold the Osaka meet scheduled to begin March 13 under the current circumstances as it would only cause confusion among fans and wrestlers who were not involved, whom he said he cannot apologize enough to.
A total of 14 people were implicated in match fixing when police inadvertently found text messages suggesting bouts were rigged during a separate investigation into a gambling ring last year.
Rumors of bout rigging linked to the Japanese underworld have plagued sumo for decades, but nothing has ever been proven.
''We have decided to give up on holding the spring meet. Until we can completely root out corruption in the sport, we cannot show sumo on the ring,'' said Hanaregoma. ''After betraying our fans, we must do everything in our power, acting swiftly to uncover the facts surrounding the scandal as soon as possible,'' he said.
''This is the worst stain in the history of sumo. There is no way we can gain the understanding of our fans to hold the meet under these circumstances,'' he added.
Hanaregoma said the other reason for calling off the Osaka meet was that a special investigative panel will need more time to uncover the truth as phone records must be examined while further interrogations of JSA members are being conducted.
It is the first time ever that the JSA will cancel a tournament because of a scandal. The summer meet of 1946 was scrapped, but that was due to a delay in renovation work at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, which had been damaged during World War II.
The JSA board made the final decision and it was approved by a council made up of sumo elders. All training tours have also been called off for the year.
The summer meet scheduled to be held in May could also be in jeopardy, as it is unclear how long the investigation will take.
Sumo has been hit by a spate of scandals that have badly damaged the sport's image in recent years.
Last year former ozeki Kotomitsuki and several other wrestlers were kicked out of the sport while others were suspended or demoted after admitting involvement in a gambling ring linked to gangsters.
The JSA held the Nagoya basho in July, even after public broadcaster NHK canceled its live coverage of the tournament, promising to root out ''antisocial forces'' in the national sport.
The special investigative panel, led by Shigeru Ito who holds a special position at Waseda University, has conducted a survey of all JSA members but only three of the 14 implicated have so far admitted to throwing bouts for cash.
Chiyohakuho, Enatsukasa and sumo elder Takenawa, who was known as Kasuganishiki while in the ring, have all admitted to their involvement in the bout rigging and are likely to be dismissed without severance pay. The 11 others have denied involvement.
No punishments have been decided yet, and the investigative panel will begin questioning all wrestlers in sumo's top two divisions, including yokozuna Hakuho and ozeki wrestlers, anew on Monday. The panel expects questioning to take about two weeks.
Phone records and text messages of the 14 who have submitted their phones will be analyzed and checked against actual video footage of the bouts in question, Ito said, adding that premier wrestlers could also be asked to submit their cellphones.
''It might take one or two months to examine all the cellphones. But we plan to vigilantly check them,'' Ito said.
Former yokozuna Takanohana, who is now one of the top sumo elders in the cloistered and ritualized sumo world, said, ''I can't answer any questions, so please forgive me!'' as he walked off in a hurry.
Miyagino, sumo elder to Hakuho, said he would not let the biggest crisis to hit the ancient sport from derailing the lone yokozuna's title winning streak that was extended to six in a row at the New Year meet last month.
''We will continue training looking toward the May basho. I cannot allow him (Hakuho) to snap his winning streak,'' he said.
There were some sumo elders who had requested that the Osaka meet be held behind closed doors without spectators as a way of evaluating performances, but that idea was also scrapped in the end.
''This is really embarrassing. Everyone feels that we have to protect sumo from being pushed out of existence,'' said sumo elder Yamawake.
