Japanese gymnast Shoko Miyata kicked off Olympic team for smoking and drinking

The 19-year-old athlete was repatriated after violating the team’s rules of conduct in Monaco

The gymnast Japanese Shoko Miyata, who was shaping up to be the captain of the Japanese artistic gymnastics team for the Paris 2024 Olympic Gameswill not take part in the competition after being excluded for violating the team’s strict rules of conduct. The Japan Gymnastics Federation announced on Friday that Miyata, 19, a bronze medallist at the 2022 World Championships, had been repatriated to her country from Monaco, where the team was based, for smoking and consuming alcohol.

“Following her confession and discussions between all parties, it has been decided that she will withdraw from the Games,” Kenji Nishimura, the federation’s secretary general, told a news conference in Tokyo. Nishimura said the federation received reports that Miyata had been seen smoking in late June and early July, and had also consumed alcohol at the national training centre in Japan. Smoking and drinking alcohol are prohibited by law in Japan for anyone under the age of 20.

The decision to remove Miyata from the team underscores the strict standards of conduct expected of athletes representing Japan in international competition. “Being a member of the Japanese national gymnastics team is a position where a lot is expected of everyone, all the time,” said Tadashi Fujita, president of the gymnastics federation.

Miyata’s exclusion is a blow for the Japanese gymnastics team, which had high hopes for the young gymnast, especially after her outstanding performance at the 2022 World Championships. Her skill and leadership were seen as key to the team’s aspirations at Paris 2024.

In addition to the sporting impact, the incident highlights the importance of discipline and exemplary behaviour in top-level sports teams. Standards of conduct are not only essential to maintaining team integrity, but also to ensure that athletes present themselves as role models for youth and society at large.

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The Japanese gymnastics team will now have to restructure and find a new leader to face the upcoming Olympic Games, while Miyata will face the consequences of her actions and the loss of a significant opportunity in her sporting career. The Japan Gymnastics Federation will continue to work to ensure that all of its athletes understand and respect the rules, thereby maintaining the reputation and values ​​of Japanese sport on the international stage.