TOKYO – Sumo’s greatest champion Hakuho could have his stable of wrestlers forcibly closed after he failed to control a protege, who was thrown out of the sport for bullying, reported Japanese media.

The wider group to which Hakuho’s Miyagino stable belongs on March 10 submitted a plan to sumo authorities to transfer all of his wrestlers to other set-ups within the organisation.

If the proposal is accepted, Hakuho’s stable will close from April and the former yokozuna, who won a record 45 championships before retiring in 2021, would also be moved elsewhere. Individuals who attended the meeting where the decision was made agreed that it will be difficult to maintain the stable as it is, according to The Asahi Shimbun.

But reports said the stable could return in the future.

Hakuho was in February fined and downgraded to the lowest rank for sumo elders for failing to control the behaviour of his protege Hokuseiho. The 22-year-old Hokuseiho, who is 2m tall, is alleged to have punched his lower-ranked stablemates and stolen money from them.

He was forced to quit the ancient sport in disgrace when sumo authorities issued a recommendation for him to retire.

The Japan Sumo Association carried out the investigation after a social media tip-off in January, according to public broadcaster NHK.

Hakuho, who assumed the sumo elder name Miyagino after taking over his stable in July 2022, was punished for failing to control Hokuseiho and report his behaviour to authorities.

After dismissal and a recommendation to retire, demotion in rank is seen as the most serious punishment for sumo elders. The Mongolian-born Hakuho, 38, was also removed from managing his stable, with sumo elder Tamagaki taking over operations temporarily.

After his demotion and fine were handed down, Hakuho said he felt “heavily responsible for failing to protect my trainee wrestlers”.

“I’m deeply sorry for causing worry to many sumo fans and supporters,” he said.

A previous scandal in sumo saw Dewanoumi take over the helm of the Kise stable in 2010 after its stablemaster was found to have offered favours to gangsters.

Around 30 wrestlers were transferred to another stable within the same group before the Kise stable was reopened two years later. AFP