Sumo Chief Resigns Over Marijuana Scandal
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TOKYO — The head of the Japan Sumo Association has stepped down after two wrestlers were accused of smoking marijuana only weeks after a third was fired for possession of the drug. A former sumo star of the 1970s, Kitanoumi Toshimitsu, announced his resignation after an emergency meeting, saying: “I have troubled the Sumo Association and its fans so I have resigned. I must reflect deeply by myself.” The sport requires its wrestlers to adhere to a strict moral code and lead an ascetic life of abstinence and hard training. The drug scandal came to light last month when a Russian wrestler known as Wakanoho was arrested for possession of marijuana.
