Sumo's top-ranked referee Shikimori Inosuke sexually harassed a teenage referee during December's winter tourney, the Japan Sumo Association said Friday.


The "tategyoji," whose real name is Itsuo Nouchi, apologized to the younger referee before the association of the ancient sport learned about the incident on Friday evening.

He said to the association's crisis management panel director Toshio Takano that he does not recall harassing the younger referee, according to the JSA.

The younger referee is not planning to file a police report, but the JSA will hold an extraordinary board meeting to address a possible punishment for Shikimori.