Japan’s sumo authority yesterday expelled a Russian wrestler after he was arrested earlier this week on suspicion of possessing marijuana, the harshest punishment ever imposed on an active sumo wrestler.
The Japan Sumo Association held an emergency board meeting and decided to oust Soslan Aleksandrovich Gagloev, a 20-year-old who wrestled under the name Wakanoho.
“He was arrested over a violation of the marijuana control law,” said Kitanoumi, executive director of the sumo authority. “The association dismissed him today.”
It is the most severe punishment ever handed down by the sumo association, which has never before dismissed a wrestler in active competition.
“This incident disturbed the public,” said the Russian wrestler’s stable master Magaki, sitting next to Kitanoumi at the press conference. “I apologize for my poor supervision.”
Magaki offered his resignation as a board member, which was accepted at the emergency meeting, the association said.
The Russian, who has been a professional sumo wrestler since 2005, was taken into custody on Monday after police officers found a marijuana cigarette in a wallet he lost in Tokyo in June.
Someone found the wallet and handed it to police, who traced it to the 162kg wrestler because of an identification card inside.
It was unclear how prosecutors planned to proceed with the case.
Wakanoho turned 20 on July 8 and was legally a minor at the time of the alleged violation.
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