FOR DECADES Japan’s ancient national sport of sumo has been dogged by claims of yaocho, or match fixing, but they have never been proved – until now.
Yesterday’s admission by two wrestlers that they took money to dive on to the dohyo (ring) is considered so serious even prime minister Naoto Kan commented.
“Sumo has a long history and a great number of fans,” he told parliament yesterday. “If match-fixing has occurred, it is a very serious betrayal of the people.”
The scandal surfaced this week after mobile phones confiscated by police revealed dozens of text messages from wrestlers suggesting they sold bouts for thousands of euro a pop.
The scam allegedly involved 11 wrestlers, including three from Sumo’s premier division and at least two coaches. Police believe the wrestlers exchanged information on upcoming matches and worked out who would win and lose.
State broadcaster NHK claims some bouts went for up to €4,470 in what was a pattern of repeated cheating.
Sumo’s governing body has launched an inquiry into the allegations and summoned the men for an explanation. An internal questionnaire targeting the association’s 900 members is being circulated demanding to know if they have ever taken or brokered a dive.
It remains to be seen how fans will react after a string of problems that have exposed the sport’s murkier side and badly damaged its already waning popularity.
One of its top wrestlers was booted out last year for illegally laying thousands of euro in bets with Yakuza gangsters. Kotomitsuki, who held sumo’s second highest Ozeki ranking, allegedly tried to pocket five million yen (€44,390) in winnings from bets on baseball games, then paid off a mobster who was blackmailing him.
A total of 40 wrestlers have since admitted involvement in the betting ring.
NHK, which has exclusive broadcast rights to sumo, angrily pulled its coverage of last summer’s tournament after reporting leading gangsters were given front-row seats by elderly stable masters, allegedly in return for gambling debt waivers. The mobsters apparently wanted the seats, which are directly in the TV cameras’ line of sight, to cheer up their associates doing time in prison.
Few sumo insiders are surprised at yesterday’s admissions by wrestlers Chiyohakuho and Enatsukasa, which follow years of rumours and counterclaims.
A now infamous whistle-blowing book by veteran wrestler Onaruto and commentator Seiichiro Hashimoto in 1996 made similar match-rigging claims. Most damaging of all in a sport that is steeped in pseudo-religious tradition, Hashimoto said it was “just show business – like pro-wrestling”. Both men subsequently mysteriously died of unknown causes. On the same day.
Rumours of foul play have always been vehemently denied by the association.
Hanaregoma responded to the latest claims this week by saying his organisation had “never had this problem before”.“I understand this as being something new,” he said.
But most Japanese will now need more than just his word.