The athlete from Japan was sent home due to alcohol and smoking before the age of 18
20 july 2024 в 01:37
The Japanese Olympic gymnast was sent home after admitting to alcohol and smoking at a young age.
According to The Japan Times, Shoko Miyata was forced to withdraw from the 2024 Summer Olympics after admitting to smoking cigarettes in her free time and consuming alcohol at the National Training Center in Tokyo, violating the team’s code of conduct.
The 19-year-old captain of the country’s women’s artistic gymnastics team was sent back to Japan on Thursday, July 18, just 10 days before the world competition, the Japanese Gymnastics Association (JGA) reported on Friday, July 19, citing BBC News and The Guardian.
«We sincerely apologize for this», - said JGA President Tadashi Fujita at a hastily organized press conference on Friday.
Coach Harada said Miyata’s behavior was reckless, but she was under immense pressure to perform at a high level. «She spent her days under immense pressure», - he said, wiping away tears. «I ask people to understand this».
Shoko has proven her talent in sports, winning bronze in the balance beam at the 2022 World Championships and gold at the All-Japan Championships in April. Miyata is the reigning champion of Japan.
Some observers said that Miyata’s departure from the team seems overly harsh.
Dai Tamesue, a 400-meter runner at three Olympic Games since 2000, posted on X before the press conference that, while Miyata’s actions were problematic, she should not have been excluded from the team.
Aiko Sugihara, who is on the reserve list for the women’s team, was considered a potential replacement for Miyata at the Games. However, JGA decided not to take this step at this time, as replacements are intended for athletes who are sick or injured. According to Nikkan Sports, Japan will still be able to compete with a team of four, but this will be a significant disadvantage.
The qualification round for women’s gymnastics is scheduled for July 28. Japan has not won medals in the women’s team all-around gymnastics since 1964.
The mental health of Olympians has become a major topic of conversation, with many participants opening up about their own struggles. Simone Biles withdrew from the 2020 Olympics when she realized she was experiencing «twists» — a phenomenon in gymnastics where an athlete suddenly loses a sense of their body in space, and decided to take a step back to prioritize her mental health.
«For those who say I quit, I didn’t quit», - Simone wrote on Instagram after her decision. «My mind and body are simply not in sync — as you can see here. I don’t think you realize how dangerous this is on hard/competition surfaces. And I don’t need to explain why I prioritize health. Physical health is mental health»
According to The Japan Times, Shoko Miyata was forced to withdraw from the 2024 Summer Olympics after admitting to smoking cigarettes in her free time and consuming alcohol at the National Training Center in Tokyo, violating the team’s code of conduct.
The 19-year-old captain of the country’s women’s artistic gymnastics team was sent back to Japan on Thursday, July 18, just 10 days before the world competition, the Japanese Gymnastics Association (JGA) reported on Friday, July 19, citing BBC News and The Guardian.
«We sincerely apologize for this», - said JGA President Tadashi Fujita at a hastily organized press conference on Friday.
Coach Harada said Miyata’s behavior was reckless, but she was under immense pressure to perform at a high level. «She spent her days under immense pressure», - he said, wiping away tears. «I ask people to understand this».
Shoko has proven her talent in sports, winning bronze in the balance beam at the 2022 World Championships and gold at the All-Japan Championships in April. Miyata is the reigning champion of Japan.
Some observers said that Miyata’s departure from the team seems overly harsh.
Dai Tamesue, a 400-meter runner at three Olympic Games since 2000, posted on X before the press conference that, while Miyata’s actions were problematic, she should not have been excluded from the team.
Aiko Sugihara, who is on the reserve list for the women’s team, was considered a potential replacement for Miyata at the Games. However, JGA decided not to take this step at this time, as replacements are intended for athletes who are sick or injured. According to Nikkan Sports, Japan will still be able to compete with a team of four, but this will be a significant disadvantage.
The qualification round for women’s gymnastics is scheduled for July 28. Japan has not won medals in the women’s team all-around gymnastics since 1964.
The mental health of Olympians has become a major topic of conversation, with many participants opening up about their own struggles. Simone Biles withdrew from the 2020 Olympics when she realized she was experiencing «twists» — a phenomenon in gymnastics where an athlete suddenly loses a sense of their body in space, and decided to take a step back to prioritize her mental health.
«For those who say I quit, I didn’t quit», - Simone wrote on Instagram after her decision. «My mind and body are simply not in sync — as you can see here. I don’t think you realize how dangerous this is on hard/competition surfaces. And I don’t need to explain why I prioritize health. Physical health is mental health»
© Puhova Marina
