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REUTERS - Japanese police arrested the former head of a sumo gym today on suspicion of assault resulting in the death of a 17-year-old wrestler last year, which cast a harsh spotlight on the rigid world of the ancient sport.
Police in Aichi, central Japan, arrested the former head of the sumo "stable", Tokitsukaze, 57, along with three wrestlers, a spokesman said.
Japanese media have reported that Tokitsukaze, whose real name is Junichi Yamamoto, had instructed senior wrestlers to beat up the novice wrestler during sparring practice last June.
The teenager, Tokitaizan, died a day after the practice. The sumo association at the time said he had died from heart failure.
But Tokitaizan's father had said there were bruises on his son's body and what appeared to be burns. Media reported that autopsies carried out recently showed the wrestler died from multiple traumatic shocks.
Former wrestlers have said newcomers are commonly put through tough training at the "stables" where younger wrestlers eat, sleep and train together.
Tokitaizan, whose real name was Takashi Saito, had fled from the stable twice, complaining of a lack of privacy, his father had also said.
- REUTERS
