FUSO, Aichi -- The sumo ranking committee has promoted seven wrestlers to the second-highest juryo division for the autumn tournament, including one Mongolian grappler here who was caught up in the recent baseball gambling scandal that shook the sumo world to its foundations.

Twenty-six-year-old Shironoryu, who acquired Japanese citizenship last year, was allowed to participate in the recent Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament because his connection to the gambling was minimal. However, the young wrestler was obviously moved by his promotion from the third-highest makushita division, as he broke down in tears during a news conference to announce the move at the Sakaigawa stable on July 28.