19-year-old Japanese gymnastics star is axed from Olympic team after being caught smoking and drinking at training camp

Saturday, July 20, 2024 - The captain of the Japan women's artistic gymnastics team has withdrawn from the squad for the Paris Games after violating the team's code of conduct by smoking.

Japanese Gymnastics Association officials said Shoko Miyata, 19, arrived in Japan on Thursday, July 18, after leaving the team's training camp in Monaco for investigation, which confirmed the violation including drinking alcohol.

The women's squad will now compete with four athletes instead of five, the JGA told a media conference.

'We apologise from the bottom of our hearts for this,' JGA President Tadashi Fujita said, bowing deeply along with other officials including Miyata's personal coach, Mutsumi Harada.

Miyata had been expected to lead a team comprised of first-time Olympians and teenagers after she secured her Paris berth in May with a third consecutive NHK trophy.

Coach Harada said that while Miyata's conduct had been reckless, she had been under extreme pressure to perform at the highest level.

'She was spending her days really burdened with so much pressure,' he said, wiping away tears. 'I would implore people to understand that.'