Japanese sumo officials have introduced a crackdown on beards, calling them "indecent" and telling wrestlers they must look spick and span during competitions under strict, new rules on grooming.

The ban is part of fresh regulations also barring tattoos and long nails as the authorities look to clean up the image of Japan's roly-poly sport. Superstitious sumo wrestlers often decline to shave their beards as they believe it brings them luck, but the Japan Sumo Association (JSA) have decided they will no longer tolerate such slovenliness. "Wrestlers must preserve their personal hygiene," JSA elder Oguruma told reporters after a board meeting.