Former sumo grand champion ‘Harumafuji’ has been fined 500,000 yen (USD 4,400) for assaulting a junior wrestler, a court in Tottori, western Japan announced. Prosecutors filed a summary indictment rather than seeking a trial.

Harumafuji retired in November after having injured fellow Mongolian ‘Takanoiwa’ while drinking at a restaurant-bar with other wrestlers, in an incident that has threatened to taint the image of Japan’s national sport just as it was regaining popularity.

Prosecutors had filed the summary indictment against the former “yokozuna” (grand champion) for injuring ‘Takanoiwa’ by hitting him on the head. Original reports claimed ‘Harumafuji’ hit ‘Takanoiwa’ with a bottle; it now transpires he struck him with a karaoke machine remote control.