TOKYO, March 2: A scandal ripping through the traditional Japanese sport of sumo appeared to spread further on Wednesday with a report saying up to 40 wrestlers had been involved in bout fixing.

The claims led to the cancellation of one of six annual tournaments and affected a number of lucrative sponsorship deals.

Now one of the 14 accused has allegedly told investigators that he knew of around 40 wrestlers who were involved in fixing results, the Mainichi Shimbun reported.

Fighter-turned-stablemaster Takenawa was one of three people who had admitted trading wins, a practice that allows wresters to avoid a drop in their ranking and the accompanying large salary cut.

“It was not only us who were involved in match-fixing. There were also about 40 others. Why are we the only ones who stand accused?” Takenawa was quoted as saying.

Takenawa, 35, who retired from competition last January, confessed that he was enticed into match fixing for the first time in early 2006, the daily said.

At that time, the attendants of three high-ranked wrestlers asked him to throw matches against their masters, but Takenawa declined their propositions, the daily said.

The fixing of sumo bouts is not illegal in Japan.

The sport has long been under a pall of suspicion, but no active wrestler had ever acknowledged guilt until last month when the incriminating text messages surfaced.—AFP