TOKYO, Jan 27: Sumo grand champion Asashoryu denied media on Saturday that he fixed matches to win a tournament, as the organising body of the Japanese traditional sport pursued its investigation.

“It cannot happen,” said Asashoryu, a Mongolian national who is one of most successful sumo wrestlers in the modern era.

“I have won 20 tournaments, and (the reports are) so unfortunate. It is not true and it is very annoying,” the 26-year-old wrestler told reporters.

The Japan Sumo Association is set to interview him in the coming week, along with several other top wrestlers, media reports said.

Asashoryu, whose real name is Dolgorsuren Dagvadorj, allegedly fixed matches during a tournament in November, when he won all the 15 matches to collect his 19th trophy, according to the Shukan Gendai weekly magazine.

The magazine said that only four of the 15 matches in November were genuine, with the rest of his victories bought for as much as 800,000 yen (6,600 dollars) each.

The grand champion went on to win another tournament earlier this month after wining 14 matches and losing one.

Sumo officials have already interviewed several wrestlers and the stable master of the grand champion, all of whom denied the allegations, reports said.

Suspicions about match fixing and use of performance enhancing drugs have occasionally hit the sport, with former wrestlers acting as whistle blowers.—AFP