Shoko Miyata, the 19-year-old captain of Japan’s women’s artistic gymnastics team, has withdrawn from the Paris Games after violating the team’s code of conduct by smoking, the Japanese Gymnastics Association (JGA) announced on Friday.
The JGA confirmed that Miyata’s behavior also involved drinking alcohol, leading to her removal from the squad.
Miyata returned to Japan on Thursday after leaving the team’s training camp in Monaco for an investigation, which verified the violation. As a result, the Japan women’s gymnastics team will compete with four athletes instead of five.
JGA President Tadashi Fujita, alongside other officials including Miyata’s personal coach Mutsumi Harada, issued a public apology. “We apologize from the bottom of our hearts for this,” Fujita said, bowing deeply during a media conference.
The incident is a significant blow to the Japan women’s gymnastics team, which had high hopes of winning a team medal at the Paris Games, their first since the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Miyata had been a key figure in the team, having secured her place in Paris by winning her third consecutive NHK trophy in May.
Coach Harada spoke emotionally about the intense pressure Miyata faced, saying, “She was spending her days really burdened with so much pressure. I would implore people to understand that,” as he wiped away tears.
This incident brings attention to the mental health challenges faced by young athletes, a subject highlighted during the last Olympic Games in Tokyo when gymnastics superstar Simone Biles withdrew from several competitions to focus on her mental well-being.
Artistic gymnastics remains one of the most popular sports at the Summer Games, with events scheduled from July 27 to August 5. The departure of Miyata will undoubtedly impact the dynamics of the competition, but the remaining team members are expected to strive for excellence despite the setback.
