"Nothing is set, and we are still in a very early planning stage," WAC commissioner Karl Benson said yesterday. "But we have agreed that what we have now is confusing to the public and the media, and there may be need for a change."

The WAC now is divided into four four-team divisions.

If the plan is eventually approved by league presidents, the conference might be realigned by 1999, Benson said.

Three models are being looked at, but one of them is a north-south division that "probably won't fly," the commissioner said.

The other two involve east-west divisions. He said six-year schedules will be worked out for east-west and north-south plans.

"One is the natural geographic division, which would split New Mexico and UTEP," Benson said.

"The East would be the Texas schools, Tulsa, UTEP, the two Colorado schools and Wyoming. In the West you would have the Utah and California schools, plus New Mexico, UNLV and Hawaii.

"The other would keep UTEP and New Mexico linked together in the East and move Air Force to the West."

There would still be a "crossover" game in football and perhaps more in basketball, whether the league went to a 16-team division or two eight-team setups, he said.

"That's a given. Because we don't want to create two divisions that never see each other," said Benson.

"We are not going to split ourselves into two small conferences."

Because he will completely miss the 15-day meet, the No. 16 maegashira heavyweight will drop from the premier makuuchi division to the second-tier juryo level for the May tournament in Tokyo.

Magaki said Yamato is hospitalized because of a worsening cold and added, ''I want him to take his time in getting well again.''

Yamato, 28, made his makuuchi debut in January 1997. The highest rank he has achieved so far is No. 12 maegashira. He posted a 7-8 record at the New Year basho in Tokyo in January.

The spring tournament will open Sunday at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium.

''I think children watching the Paralympics can come away with a message that if you put your mind to something, you can succeed in doing it,'' Konishiki, now known as sumo elder Sanoyama, said at a news conference held on the eve of the games opening ceremony.

The former Hawaiian-born ozeki, Salevaa Atisanoe, clad in navy slacks, shirt and a tie, said he is more interested in the Paralympics than the Olympics because the Paralympic games have more meaning.

Konishiki also told the Paralympians to have fun and enjoy themselves during the 10 days of competitions.

''I would like to tell the athletes that it is important to have fun. I know they are out there to win, but along with that they should enjoy themselves,'' said Konishiki, who hung up his sumo sash last November.