Asashoryu denies allegations of role in match-fixing

Friday 03rd October, 03:54 PM JST

TOKYO —

A nonfiction writer who alleged match-fixing in sumo in a weekly magazine testified in court Friday that yokozuna Asashoryu played a central role in such practices. But the Mongolian-born grand champion categorically denied the allegation, simply saying ‘‘no’’ when asked if he had ever fixed a match.

On Friday, nonfiction writer Yorimasa Takeda, former top-division wrestler Itai and Asashoryu testified at a hearing at the Tokyo District Court on three defamation suits filed by the Japan Sumo Association and sumo wrestlers against Kodansha Ltd., publisher of the Shukan Gendai weekly magazine, and its editors and writers over allegations of match-fixing.

Takeda and Itai testified in the morning while Asashoryu showed up in the afternoon to give an extremely unusual testimony by an incumbent grand champion.

In the day’s court session, Takeda, who wrote the articles in question in Shukan Gendai, said, ‘‘Match-fixing practices serve to help stabilize wrestlers’ rankings…Lower-ranked wrestlers support the yokozuna’s position. They sell victories to yokozuna wrestlers and buy wins with the money received from the yokozuna.’‘

‘‘It’s unpardonable to see some wrestlers act unfairly while others are doing tough practices and fighting matches,’’ he said.

Itai, who climbed up to sumo’s fourth-highest rank of komusubi, also testified that match-fixing is still rampant in sumo.

‘‘When I was an active sumo wrestler, 75-80 percent of sumo bouts were fixed, and I did join such practices,’’ he said.

The former wrestler, who viewed tape of a match won by Asashoryu during the November 2006 Kyushu grand sumo tournament, said ‘’(The loser) only appears posed to fight. It’s an unnatural and impossible bout.’‘

Itai is known to have repeatedly accused the sumo world of fixing matches. In an interview with Shukan Gendai and in a news conference at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan in 2000, Itai identified some 20 match-fixing wrestlers and said he was once given 400,000 yen by a yokozuna wrestler in exchange for losing a match against him.

Itai joined the sumo world in 1978 and climbed up to the sport’s fourth-highest rank of komusubi in 1983 before retiring in 1991.

The Japan Sumo Association, former JSA Chairman Kitanoumi and about 30 wrestlers have filed a series of defamation suits with the court seeking a total of 860 million yen in damages and the publishing of an apology. They have also filed a criminal complaint with prosecutors over the allegations of match-fixing.

Asashoryu, who is one of the plaintiffs, dominated the sumo world as a single yokozuna in recent years until his compatriot, Hakuho, was promoted to yokozuna in 2007. Asashoryu won grand sumo tournaments 22 times.

He was banned from two tourneys in September and November last year after he had played in a charity soccer match in Mongolia, though he had asked to be excused from a summer regional tour, citing injuries.

Late last month, former Russian sumo wrestler Wakanoho, who was recently banned for life after being arrested on suspicion of possessing marijuana, told reporters he was once forced to accept a bribe to lose a match.

Wakanoho, whose real name is Gagloev Soslan Aleksandrovich, said he is ready to testify in court as a witness for Kodansha.

› Login to comment

13 Comments

rjdsr at 04:03 PM JST - 3rd October

There's certainly no smoking gun here. No real proof offered. Sumo should have an easy time clearing its name.
barfly08 at 04:04 PM JST - 3rd October

Give it a rest already. If you haven't figured out that sumo matches are fixed by now its cause you don't want to know !
memyselfI at 04:07 PM JST - 3rd October

This doesn't surprise me at all !!!! Gambling has destroyed every sport in the world. To many people getting rich for gambling off of sumo bouts.
browny1 at 05:02 PM JST - 3rd October

Grunting Fat Men who milk not only a suss system but also an incredibly naive support base who believe sumo is a religious experience.

Money - the unmentionable of the kulchared classes - lubricates all.
nagoyait at 05:18 PM JST - 3rd October

barfly08 - Your right. They are hella fixed. However, I don't think it's about gambling but doing favors. I've been watching it a long time and it does happen. Anyhow, who cares, it's way better than stupid american pro wresters.
outofmydepth at 06:52 PM JST - 3rd October

fixing matches was going on long before asa and will probably continue until sumo cleans up it sorry act. i was such a sumo fan years ago but now it is sad sad sad. it is a shame really.
Betting at 10:41 PM JST - 3rd October

Is there any sport in the world that hasn't had a fixing problem at some point in its history? Maybe pole-sitting I think ...

Considering the principles that hold Japanese society together I can really imagine there being a cover-up here, especially in sumo.

Wow!! My first conspiracy post EVER!!
some14some at 11:30 PM JST - 3rd October

Russian trio had also denied, the only difference is that Asashoryu's denial is in favor of Sumo Kyokai.
TeruSensei at 06:52 AM JST - 4th October

Itai is just bitter at his failure during his sumo career.

Now trying to make a name for himself at everyone elses expense.
chibaman at 07:25 AM JST - 4th October

Itai is just bitter at his failure during his sumo career.

If you consider komusubi a failure. And maybe that was as far as he got cos he was forced to take cash for losses. Regardless of motive, and the same applies to Wakanoho, what they say is most likely the truth.

But I don't think match-fixing will be proven, at the same time there will be a compromise that sees Shukan Gendai paying nothing or very little in terms of compensation for slander, and everyone can go back to yes it may be happening but you can't prove it. End of the sport otherwise.
outofmydepth at 08:21 AM JST - 4th October

it is funny to see asashoryu now the darling of the sumo world - he was trashed barely a year ago.
chibaman at 08:36 AM JST - 4th October

it is funny to see asashoryu now the darling of the sumo world - he was trashed barely a year ago.

Back to business as soon as this pesky little lawsuit is over. They enjoy bashing Asa and they admit how boring sumo would be without him. So they hope he stays as long as possible cos once he's gone, there is no news, and no people watching to boot. At any rate Asa is the king and is already loaded, plus he has a future as a stablemaster if he wants it. I love how he ends his media appearances, as he did yesterday fielding questions about this trial, abruptly finishing with hai owari!, and then walks off to dominate something else.
kenchan at 11:19 PM JST - 4th October

I know there is always going to be some match fixing, but if it was so rampant then I wonder if they would have let mongolians to be the sole yokozunas? Wouldn't they have tried to fix it so that a Japanese rikishi could become a yokozuna?