An advocacy group for former ozeki Kotomitsuki, who was fired and received a lifetime ban from sumo for betting on pro baseball, submitted a petition on Tuesday to the Japan Sumo Association requesting his reinstatement to the national sport.
The fan-created group, dubbed "Save Kotomitsuki," handed in a letter with nearly 58,000 signatures asking that the punishment of the disgraced former wrestler, whose real name is Keiji Tamiya, be rescinded or lightened.
JSA Vice Chairman Hiroshi Murayama, who met with the group at Ryogoku Kokugikan, is scheduled to report on the matter at a board of directors' meeting on Christmas Eve.