Text messages indicating sumo wrestlers fixed matches have been found on the cell phones of a wrestler and a stablemaster, investigative sources said Wednesday.

Whistle-blowers have often alleged bout-fixing, but this new evidence, if confirmed, would force the Japan Sumo Association, which has so far denied any wrongdoing, to overhaul the sport.

The cell phones were confiscated in July during the police probe into wrestlers gambling on pro baseball games. The texts had been deleted but the police restored them.