The Japan Sumo Association on Friday accepted the retirement of a sumo wrestler who repeatedly choked and bullied a lower-ranked apprentice wrestler at the stable run by Bulgarian-born former ozeki Kotooshu.
The JSA's board of directors handed the stablemaster a 10-percent cut for three months from the paycheck he receives for overseeing his Naruto stable, where the fourth-tier sandanme wrestler subjected an underage wrestler to a judo-style choking move as punishment for failing in his duties.
At Friday's extraordinary meeting at Ryogoku Kokugikan, the board of directors agreed that the sandanme wrestler's acts were grounds for requesting his retirement following an investigation by the JSA's compliance committee.
Despite the JSA's efforts to terminate physical abuse, Japan's ancient sport has been rocked by a string of scandals involving violence for more than a year.
Two other apprentice wrestlers at the Naruto stable also received disciplinary measures from the JSA for abusing the same victim under the orders of the sandanme wrestler. An overage wrestler was given a warning, while an underage wrestler was given a minor punishment.