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TOKYO (AFP) - THE legendary head of Japan's sumo association came under intense pressure to resign Wednesday after two Russian wrestlers, one belonging to his stable, tested positive for marijuana.
The scandal rocked the centuries-old sport just weeks after the sumo authority took the unprecedented step of expelling another Russian wrestler caught with marijuana.
Marijuana is taboo in Japan, which strictly forbids both hard and soft drugs. Russia is among a growing number of countries that have virtually decriminalised cannabis.
The scandal was splashed across the front pages of newspapers, which said it would be inevitable for Kitanoumi, one of the modern era's greatest sumo champions, to resign as head of the Japan Sumo Association.
The incident was the top item on morning television shows, pushing aside the political turmoil after Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's sudden resignation.
The association carried out surprise tests on the urine of 69 wrestlers, with Russian brothers Roho and Hakurozan testing positive for marijuana, said Shohei Onishi, an anti-doping official at the association.
"It's possible that they inhaled very recently, probably within the past two or three days," Onishi told reporters.
Roho, 28, whose real name is Soslan Boradzov, and Hakurozan, 26, whose name is Batraz Boradzov, both flatly denied use of marijuana.
"I don't mind if they investigate me or test me. I'm confident that I definitely won't test positive," said Hakurozan, who belongs to Kitanoumi's stable.
The association is now waiting for detailed examination results, which will be available later this week.
The Mainichi Shimbun said the surprise tests -- which were supposed to prove that all athletes were clean except the Russian expelled last month -- "turned out to have the worst possible outcome."
Mitsuru Yaku, who serves on the association's reform committee, told the Fuji television network Kitanoumi "will naturally get sacked."
He feared that more shady things would emerge from sumo.
"I'm far from believing that all of the puss has come out," he said.
Kitanoumi, 55, whose real name is Toshimitsu Obata, was monstrously strong in his peak days in the ring in the 1970s. He retains the record for the youngest wrestler to reach the top rank of "yokozuna" grand champion at age 21 years and two months.
Japanese fans expect sumo wrestlers to be role models and to lead nearly ascetic lives that involve early-morning training and participation in ritual ceremonies.
But the sport's image was seriously tainted last year when a teenage apprentice died after a violent hazing by his stable. -- AFP
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