JSA won’t appeal court ruling to reinstate Sokukurai

The Japan Sumo Association will not appeal a court ruling that forces the body to reinstate wrestler Sokokurai, whom the body had expelled in 2011 over match fixing.

An extraordinary session of the JSA’s board of directors voted unanimously to accept the court ruling, which deemed the sumo body had insufficient evidence to bar Sokokurai, an ethnic Mongolian from China.

Following a meeting between the 29-year-old and JSA chief Kitanoumi, it was decided Sokokurai will make his comeback at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament in July as a No. 15 maegashira. Kitanoumi apologized to the wrestler, The JSA said at its meeting.

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