The arrest of Wakakirin, a sumo wrestler in the juryo division, on suspicion of possessing cannabis and his subsequent dismissal by the Japan Sumo Association should be a great disappointment to many sumo fans.
The incident has further tarnished the image of the JSA, which is suffering from a series of scandals. The beating death in June 2007 of a teenage wrestler led to the indictment and the JSA's dismissal of the victim's stablemaster and three stablemates. Since then, cannabis-related incidents have led to the dismissal of three wrestlers from Russia — Wakanoho, who was arrested last August, and then Roho and Hakurozan, who tested positive in simplified urine tests that the JSA conducted in September.
Sumo fans no doubt hoped that cannabis-related scandals involving sumo wrestlers were at an end. To their disappointment, though, Wakakirin, who once fought in the makuuchi division, became the first Japanese sumo wrestler to be arrested in connection with cannabis possession.
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