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TOKYO (Reuters) - The Japan Sumo Association (JSA) cancelled on Sunday a tournament next month because of an investigation into match-fixing, dealing a blow to the national sport tarnished by a series of scandals.
It is the first time the grand tournament, one of six held each year, will be cancelled since 1946 when the main stadium in Tokyo was under renovation after being damaged during World War Two.
The ancient sport has been struggling to clean up its image following an illegal betting scandal with ties to gang members, as well as incidents of assault and drug use.
"The association came to the final conclusion to give up holding the spring tournament scheduled for March," JSA chairman Hanaregoma told a news conference.
"The first reason is the fact that we can not, and should not hold the tournament under the circumstance which supporters can't approve of," he said.
"The second is the fact the investigations are facing difficulties. Until we resolve the issue completely, we can not carry out the tournament," Hanaregoma said, adding that the JSA would do its utmost to help clear up the problem.
The decision came after the government told parliament last week that three sumo wrestlers had admitted to involvement in match-fixing.
Police found emails listing 13 wrestlers that indicated some may have been involved in fixing matches, the JSA said on Wednesday. Wins may have been bought and sold for several hundred thousand yen (several thousand dollars) per bout, media reports said.
Kyodo news agency said further JSA investigations showed an additional person may have taken part in match fixing.
"They (the sumo association) owe it to the public and supporters to clarify the problem and take strict action," Kyodo news agency quoted Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano as telling reporters.
The JSA set up an independent committee to investigate the allegations, and it could take up to two months to submit a report, media said.
Next month's tournament in Osaka, in western Japan, was scheduled to start on March 13.
The cancellation is the latest in a series of damaging blows to the sport.
Last year, Asashoryu, a former yokozuna, or top-rank wrestler, was forced to retire after assaulting a man, while widespread abuse of young trainees came to light in 2007 after the death of a 17-year-old wrestler.
Public broadcaster NHK cancelled live television broadcasts of the tournament last July for the first time in more than 50 years after an illegal gambling scandal emerged.
(Reporting by Chikako Mogi; Editing by Robert Birsel)
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It is the first time the grand tournament, one of six held each year, will be cancelled since 1946 when the main stadium in Tokyo was under renovation after being damaged during World War Two.
The ancient sport has been struggling to clean up its image following an illegal betting scandal with ties to gang members, as well as incidents of assault and drug use.
"The association came to the final conclusion to give up holding the spring tournament scheduled for March," JSA chairman Hanaregoma told a news conference.
"The first reason is the fact that we can not, and should not hold the tournament under the circumstance which supporters can't approve of," he said.
"The second is the fact the investigations are facing difficulties. Until we resolve the issue completely, we can not carry out the tournament," Hanaregoma said, adding that the JSA would do its utmost to help clear up the problem.
The decision came after the government told parliament last week that three sumo wrestlers had admitted to involvement in match-fixing.
Police found emails listing 13 wrestlers that indicated some may have been involved in fixing matches, the JSA said on Wednesday. Wins may have been bought and sold for several hundred thousand yen (several thousand dollars) per bout, media reports said.
Kyodo news agency said further JSA investigations showed an additional person may have taken part in match fixing.
"They (the sumo association) owe it to the public and supporters to clarify the problem and take strict action," Kyodo news agency quoted Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano as telling reporters.
The JSA set up an independent committee to investigate the allegations, and it could take up to two months to submit a report, media said.
Next month's tournament in Osaka, in western Japan, was scheduled to start on March 13.
The cancellation is the latest in a series of damaging blows to the sport.
Last year, Asashoryu, a former yokozuna, or top-rank wrestler, was forced to retire after assaulting a man, while widespread abuse of young trainees came to light in 2007 after the death of a 17-year-old wrestler.
Public broadcaster NHK cancelled live television broadcasts of the tournament last July for the first time in more than 50 years after an illegal gambling scandal emerged.
(Reporting by Chikako Mogi; Editing by Robert Birsel)
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