Japanese gymnastics captain, 19, out of Olympics for smoking, drinking

Shoko Miyata, nan 19-year-old skipper of nan Japan women’s creator gymnastics team, has withdrawn from nan squad for nan Paris Games aft violating nan team’s codification of behaviour by smoking, nan Japanese Gymnastics Association said connected Friday.

JGA officials said Miyata arrived successful Japan connected Thursday aft leaving nan team’s training campy successful Monaco for an investigation, which confirmed nan usurpation including drinking alcohol.

The women’s squad would compete pinch 4 athletes alternatively of five, nan JGA told a media conference.

“We apologize from nan bottommost of our hearts for this,” JGA President Tadashi Fujita said, bowing profoundly on pinch different officials including Miyata’s individual coach, Mutsumi Harada.

Hopes had been precocious for nan Japan women’s gymnastics team, which was seeking to triumph a squad badge astatine nan Paris Games for nan first clip since nan 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Miyata had been expected to lead a squad comprised wholly of first-time Olympians and teenagers aft she secured her Paris berth successful May pinch a 3rd consecutive NHK trophy.

Coach Harada said that while Miyata’s behaviour had been reckless, she had been nether utmost unit to execute astatine nan highest level.

“She was spending her days really burdened pinch truthful overmuch pressure,” he said, wiping distant tears. “I would implore group to understand that.”

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Mental wellness facing young athletes took centre shape astatine nan past Olympic Games successful Tokyo erstwhile gymnastics superstar Simone Biles pulled retired of 1 title aft another.

Artistic gymnastics is 1 of nan astir celebrated sports astatine nan Summer Games and will beryllium held from July 27 to Aug. 5.