The Bloom Is So Off the Sumo Rose

Sumo wrestling controversy continues. NPR reports that 15 wrestlers and 14 stable masters are accused of gambling on baseball games, which is seen as “not in keeping with stringent ethical standards sumo wrestlers are expected to observe.” The scandal involves some of the best-known wrestlers: “To wager on baseball, you need to know the game well, and you need plenty of cash,” says a sumo journalist. “That excludes junior wrestlers, because they don’t earn salaries. So only the most talented, the most popular wrestlers seen on TV are able to gamble on baseball. That’s what has been so shocking.” (HT: Daniel Lippman)[%comments]