NOT THEM TOO! JAPANESE SUMO WRESTLERS ADMIT TO FIXING MATCHES!

A sumo scandal in Japan got bigger after three wrestlers admitted to fixing matches.

The confessions are the latest in a scandal that involves 13 wrestlers and stable masters, who are accused of fixing matches through text messages.

The scheme was discovered when police were investigating a sumo-gambling ring, with concerns that gangsters, who had contributed to an earlier sumo scandal, were involved again.

"If it is true, it is a very serious betrayal of the people," Prime Minister Naoto Kan told the parliament.

The scandal, the second of its kind, is a huge embarrassment for Japan, which considers sumo wrestling a huge part of its culture.

The sumo scandal comes only months after a gambling scandal that rocked the sport when the wrestlers were found to be betting on baseball games.

Fixing sumo matches could be a much worse scandal for the troubled sport.

Television stations withdrew their sponsorship of the competitions after the scandal became public, and the head of Japan’s public broadcasting station said it might pull its broadcast of the major tournament in March. The government also threatened to rescind the organization’s tax exemption.

Meanwhile, officials are scrambling to lessen the latest black mark on a treasured tradition.

"I deeply apologize to fans," the Japan Sumo Association chairman said at a press conference.


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