Sumo has been hit with another bullying scandal after media reported that a retired grand champion, who is now a stablemaster, had reported himself to the sport’s authorities for violent behaviour.
Terunofuji, who retired in January last year and became a stablemaster five months later, told reporters that he had turned himself in to the Japan Sumo Association for physically abusing one of his wrestlers.
The 34-year-old said that he and two of his wrestlers had already been questioned by the association.
He told reporters that he had apologised to his own wrestlers for the incident and that “the responsibility lies with me”.
“Now, we are simply waiting for the association’s punishment,” said the Mongolian-born Terunofuji.
“To say anything more at this stage would just complicate things, which would be the worst outcome.”
Sumo has been dogged by multiple scandals, including allegations of bullying, illegal betting and links to organised crime.
In 2007, a 17-year-old sumo apprentice died after a hazing incident involving his stablemaster and senior wrestlers.
The stablemaster, who struck the teen with a beer bottle, was sentenced to five years’ jail for negligence resulting in death.
The latest incident comes less than a year after former grand master Hakuho, sumo’s greatest champion, quit the sport after his stable was forcibly closed because of a bullying scandal involving his protege.
Authorities found that Hakuho had failed to control the behaviour of Hokuseiho, who allegedly punched his lower-ranked stablemates and stole money from them.
Wrestlers from the closed stable were transferred to the stable which Terunofuji eventually took over.
Terunofuji won 10 tournaments in his wrestling career and became the 73rd grand champion in the centuries-old history of sumo. — AFP
