The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office accepted on Thursday the complaint, filed by four wrestlers including Asashoryu as well as the Japan Sumo Association against the publisher and editor-in-chief of the weekly magazine Shukan Gendai and the writer of a series of articles, the association said in a statement released today.

Asashoryu, whose real name is Dolgorsuren Dagvadorj, is a sumo grand champion, the sport's highest rank. He was the sport's sole grand champion until fellow Mongolian Hakuho was promoted to the top rank in May.

Earlier this year, the Shukan Gendai published a series of articles alleging that Asashoryu paid off his opponents to let him win November's tournament, when the Mongolian scored a rare perfect 15-0 record to claim his 19th career title.

The association, which supervises professional sumo wrestling, conducted an investigation, said it found no wrongdoing, and lodged a defamation suit against the publisher of the magazine, one of the biggest in Japan.

"We came to the conclusion that to restore honor of the association, chairman and wrestlers, we find it is necessary to seek not only redress in a civil suit, but also criminal punishments," the statement said.