Sumo wrestling’s grand champion appeared in a Tokyo courtroom yesterday to deny that he bribed opponents to lose matches in a sensational trial that could save or ruin the reputation of the ancient sport.

Asashoryu, the 28-year-old Mongolian who is generally believed to be one of the greatest champions yet seen, is one of a group of 33 wrestlers suing a magazine for libel after an article last year that accused them of bribery and match fixing.

With the Japan Sumo Association, they are demanding a total of 860 million yen (£4.6 million) in damages from Kodansha International, the publishers of Shukan Gendai (Nowadays Weekly). More important is the effort to defend the honour of sumo, which has been damaged by a series of scandals involving deadly bullying, match fixing and drugs, that have ended the careers of several wrestlers.

“These are complete lies,” Asashoryu said, from a special bench that had been taken into Tokyo District Court to support his 147kg (23st) bulk. “Each match is real. I am very sad and disgusted.”

The article in dispute claimed that in a tournament in Nagoya in 2006, Asashoryu bought 11 out of his 15 victories, paying up to one million yen for his opponents to lose.

The magazine described how he was alleged to have made the match-fixing deals through a lower-ranked fellow Mongolian wrestler named Kyokutenzan. It named the 11 wrestlers whose matches were alleged to have been rigged. “Asashoryu is happy to buy sumo matches whenever he wants to win the championship,” it claimed.

Yesterday the article’s author, Yorimasa Takeda, also appeared in court and vigorously defended his work. “The practice of match fixing helps to stabilise wrestlers’ rankings,” he said. “Lower-ranked wrestlers support the position of the yokozuna [grand champion]. They sell victories to yokozuna wrestlers and buy wins with the money received from the yokozuna. It is unpardonable to see some wrestlers act unfairly while others are doing tough training and fighting matches. I believe that this is organised crime.”

Also called to give evidence was a retired wrestler named Itai, who first claimed eight years ago that he deliberately lost fights. “When I was an active sumo wrestler, 75-80 per cent of sumo bouts were fixed, and I did join such practices,” he said.

Shukan Gendai scoops

1980s Pioneers the “hair nude” - photographs of naked women, including pubic hair - which was formerly banned in Japan

1998 Offers Viagra to its readers before the pill is licensed in Japan

2000 Prints a picture of Japan’s prime minister of the day consorting with a convicted murderer linked to Yakuza gangsters

2000 Prints three Romanian gymnasts performing topless - the girls are banned from the sport

2002 Reveals that a top baseball pitcher is a gay porn star

2007 Claims that sumo grand champion Asashoryu paid opponents to lose

Times Recommends

• Rio Tinto four held as China prepares case
• Diplomats must keep heads down and trousers up
• When in Rome should one make like Berlusconi?