Shoko Miyata, 19, captain of the Japanese women’s gymnastics team, withdrew from the team for the Paris Games after violating the team’s code of conduct by smoking, the Japanese gymnastics association announced Friday.
JGA officials said Miyata arrived in Japan on Thursday after leaving the team’s camp in Monaco for an investigation, which showed the violation, including alcohol consumption.
The women’s team will compete with four athletes out of five, the JGA said at a news conference.
“We are from the bottom of our hearts for this,” said JGA President Tadashi Fujita, bowing deeply alongside other officials, adding Miyata’s private teacher Mutsumi Harada.
Hopes were high for Japan’s women’s gymnastics team, which was looking to win a team medal at the Paris Games for the first time since the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
Miyata hoped to lead a team made up entirely of young Olympians and teenagers after securing his place in Paris in May with a third consecutive NHK Trophy.
Coach Harada said Miyata’s driving had been reckless and she had been under excessive pressure to perform at the highest level.
“She spent her days under the weight of so much pressure,” he said, wiping away tears. “I implore other people to realize this. “
The intellectual aptitude of young athletes went to a medium level at the last Tokyo Olympics, when gymnastics superstar Simone Biles withdrew from festival after festival.
Artistic gymnastics is one of the maximum sports in the Summer Games and will take place from July 27 to August 5.