I’m shocked — shocked! — to find that gambling is going on in sumo:
A slew of top-division sumo wrestlers — including its second-ranked wrestler — won’t compete in next month’s Nagoya grand tournament, in an unprecedented decision, after 65 of the sport’s 700 active sumo wrestlers admitted to illegally gambling on baseball and other games.
The Japan Sumo Association, the sport’s governing body known for its strict adherence to hierarchy and ritual, said the Nagoya tournament would proceed on July 11 as scheduled, but without the participation of 14 top wrestlers, including seven in the top division called Makuuchi.
A 34 year-old wrestler by the single name of Kotomitsuki, who reached the level of ozeki, or champion (one rank below yokozuna, or grand champion), is the highest-ranking wrestler barred from the tournament.