JSA chief Hanaregoma says he can't confirm sumo match fixing
Wednesday 02nd February, 06:35 PM JST
to fix a match/bout/fight
to rig a match/bout/fight
a fight=a bout=a match
The wrestler threw the fight.
The wrestler took a dive.
alleged=said
hastily=quickly, without preparation
an inquiry=an investigation
to get to the bottom of st=to find out why st happened.
TOKYO —Japan Sumo Association Chairman Hanaregoma said on Wednesday he could not confirm the existence of alleged match fixing after questioning 13 people over cell phone text messages that appear to imply that bouts have been rigged.
alleged=said
allegation
allegedly
to allege
He is suspected of murder.
I am alleging that he drank my beer.
The JSA, which called a hastily arranged emergency meeting at Ryogoku Kokugikan to question those involved, has set up a special inquiry to get to the bottom of the allegations.
hastily=quickly, without preparation
an inquiry=an investigation
to get to the bottom of st=to find out why st happened.
They want to get to the bottom of this.
Sumo’s governing body said the independent panel, which will have its first meeting Wednesday evening, will consist of seven notable figures from outside sumo.
They will set up an independent panel.= They will make a group of people who are not connected to sumo.
They will investigate.
This panel will be made up of 7 notable figures.
to be made up of=to be made of=to consist of
‘‘We questioned each person one by one, but we weren’t able to confirm any conclusive evidence of this. We could not verify if the facts are true or not,’’ said Hanaregoma, who promised to severely punish those involved if such revelations are validated.
conclusive evidence= very strong evidence proving st
to confirm=確認する
to verify=to confirm
Hanaregoma promised to severely punish those involved.
I am not involved.=僕は関係ない。
to confirm=to verify=to validate
He also apologized to sumo fans for yet another scandal in the national sport, saying, ‘‘I feel great indignation and sorrow. I want to apologize to fans from the bottom of my heart.’‘
He also apologized to sumo fans for yet another scandal.
indignation:〔侮辱・不当な扱い・不正などに対する〕憤り、怒り、義憤、憤慨
I want to apologize to fans from the bottom of my heart.
I would like to sincerely apologize to the fans.
---------------------------------------
Of 13 suspected of match-fixing, sumo elders questioned 12, including makuuchi wrestler Shotenro and lower-tier wrestler Yamamotoyama and sumo elder Takenawa, who retired after the New Year meet in January. One person was unavailable to attend as he was out of town.
Of the 13, juryo-division wrestlers Chiyohakuho and Kiyoseumi as well as sumo elder Takenawa have admitted to gambling on pro baseball.
‘‘This problem shakes the very foundation of our sport. We will hold a strict investigation, and if it is the case that this is confirmed to be true, we will severely punish those involved,’’ Hanaregoma said.
Cell phones belonging to sumo elder Takenawa and wrestler Chiyohakuho were confiscated by police with text messages that suggest match fixing. Sources also said that the names of sumo elder Tanigawa and wrestler Toyozakura also were mentioned in records.
The phones were confiscated by Tokyo police during their investigation into the recent case of organized gambling among sumo wrestlers on baseball games.
In the past, testimonies of several people related to the sumo world and magazine reports have often pointed to the existence of sumo match-fixing among active sumo wrestlers, but the sumo association has consistently denied such a practice.
Last October, the Supreme Court upheld two high court decisions ordering publishing house Kodansha Ltd and its writers to pay a total of about 44 million yen in damages to the sumo association and three retired wrestlers over reports alleging match-fixing in Kodansha’s weekly magazine Shukan Gendai.
Despite these previous testimonies, Hanaregoma said the problem of bout-rigging has never existed in the sport.
‘‘We have never had this problem before. I understand this as being something new,’’ he said.
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