Say It Aint So

Bruce Wallace in the LAT: It sure looks real enough, all those vicious slaps to the face and head-smacking collisions and men of generous poundage being hurled into the dirt.

But the shadow of fraud hangs over this spring's sumo tournament in Osaka. The event is taking place in the wake of a muckraking weekly magazine's accusations that Japan's national sport is all scripted, and allegations that a stunning run of tournament victories by Asashoryu, the unassailable grand champion who hails from Mongolia, has been greased by bribes.