Shoko Miyata, the 19-year-old captain of the Japan women’s artistic gymnastics team, has been forced to withdraw from the upcoming Paris Games after violating the team’s code of conduct. The Japanese Gymnastics Association (JGA) confirmed the violation, which involved smoking, after Miyata returned to Japan on Thursday following an investigation initiated after she left the team’s training camp in Monaco.
The news comes as a significant blow to the Japanese team, which had been aiming to secure a team medal at the Paris Games for the first time since the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Miyata, a rising star, had been a key figure in the team’s aspirations, securing her Paris berth in May with a third consecutive NHK trophy win. She was expected to lead a team comprised entirely of first-time Olympians and teenagers.
Artistic gymnastics, one of the most popular sports at the Summer Games, is scheduled to take place from July 27 to August 5. The Japanese team will now have to regroup and adapt to the unexpected absence of their captain. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining a strict code of conduct, particularly for athletes competing on the world stage.
