The Japan Gymnastics Association held an emergency press conference in Tokyo on the 19th and announced that Shoko Miyata (19, Juntendo University), captain of the women’s national team for the Paris Olympics, had withdrawn from the competition due to a violation of the national team code of conduct. Based on the information provided, an interview was conducted with Miyata, who returned to Japan from France on the afternoon of the 18th, and it was confirmed that she had smoked and drunk alcohol in June and July. Just one week until the opening. This was the first time in the history of the Japanese Olympic team to withdraw from the Olympics other than due to injury, and it sent shock waves across the ocean.
The scandal, which came to light the night before, was a major decision made in just five days after the information was provided. Following Chairman Naoshi Fujita’s apology at the beginning of the press conference, Executive Director Kenji Nishimura took the microphone and explained, “As a result of the fact-finding, both (the association and Miyata) had discussed the matter and decided to withdraw from the competition.” According to the Japan Olympic Committee (JOC), this is the first time in the history of the Japanese Olympics that a certified athlete, whether in summer or winter, has withdrawn from the Olympics for reasons other than injury.
According to Nishimura’s explanation, information about Miyata’s smoking and drinking was provided to the training headquarters in Monaco, where the team was holding their pre-Olympic training camp, on the 15th. As Miyata himself admitted to the issue in principle on the 16th, the team took the matter seriously and instructed him to return home temporarily. On the night of the 18th, Nishimura and others interviewed Miyata in Tokyo, in the presence of his parents and lawyer. He said that Miyata “appeared quite haggard.” By law, drinking and smoking are not permitted until the age of 20. The committee found that Miyata violated the association’s code of conduct for national team athletes, which prohibits smoking and drinking even for athletes over the age of 20 during national team activities. There is also suspicion that he may have been addicted to alcohol, but “he explained that he had only done it once each, so we believe that.”
What was shocking was that in addition to the smoking that was discovered the night before, it was also discovered that he had been drinking alcohol in his room at the Ajinomoto National Training Center (NTC) in Kita-ku, Tokyo. Since this act took place within the NTC, where only a limited number of people such as athletes and staff have access, it is highly likely that it was reported by someone in the gymnastics industry close to Miyata. Nishimura also acknowledged, “I heard directly from Director Tanaka that it was an internal whistleblower. It was definitely not from an outsider.” According to those involved, Miyata’s bad behavior has been a problem for some time, and there is also testimony that “he had been severely warned in the past” about smoking.
The foolish act of one person has put the remaining four athletes in a difficult position. The women’s team’s goal was to win a medal for the first time in 60 years, but the loss in their strength is immeasurable. Since the entry period has ended, it is not possible to replace athletes except for reasons such as illness or injury. It is expected that Aiko Sugihara (TRYAS), who is accompanying the team as a substitute, will not be allowed to move up, so they will be forced to fight with one less member.
This betrayal came at a time when the team had formed a team of over 400 athletes, the largest number in history for an overseas tournament, and the countdown to mass production of medals had begun. The ripples have not yet subsided, and the women’s qualifying rounds will begin on the 28th.
◇ Miyata Shoko Born September 21, 2004 (Heisei 16), 19 years old, from Kyoto City. Graduated from Sabae High School in Fukui, second year student at Juntendo University. Influenced by her older brother, she started competing at the age of four. She moved to Sabae City in the middle of her third year of junior high school and trained under coach Tanobe Mitsuru, who still teaches her today. At her first World Championships in 2010, she won a bronze medal on the balance beam, placed 8th in the individual all-around, and placed 6th on the vault last year. She won her first All Japan Championships in April this year, and achieved her third consecutive victory at the NHK Cup in May, which also served as the final selection tournament for the Paris Olympics. She is 1.51 meters tall. ▽Excerpt from the Japan Gymnastics Association’s “Code of Conduct for Japan National Team Athletes and Officials”
“8. In principle, smoking is prohibited at locations where the Japan National Team is active, even if the person is over 20 years old. *A complete ban will be implemented over several years, starting from 2016.”
“9. Alcohol consumption is prohibited at locations where the Japan National Team is active, even if the person is over 20 years old. However, it is permitted with the coach’s permission for the closing party of a training camp, farewell party for a tournament, etc.”
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It can’t be helped, since the association says it’s not okay
This is a photo of the four of them afterwards.
Those bright smiles.
They must have been sleeping soundly after finally being freed from the nicotine.
That’s a difficult point.
If you ask me if Miyata is by far the best,
she’s been overtaken by other girls in international competitions recently
so I’d say “she’s an ace, but recently her position has become a bit uncertain.”
The Promotion Act and the Ordinance to Prevent Passive Smoking
stipulate that the person in charge of providing the service should be fined up to 500,000 yen, and the smoker himself should be fined up to 300,000 yen.
>Under the revised law, penalties (fines) may be imposed on violators. Fines under the revised law are fines for order, and are imposed on violators as a sanction to maintain legal order.
>In addition, the amount of the fine is decided by a district court proceeding based on notification from the prefectural governor, etc.
>All persons
>Smoking prohibited in places where smoking is prohibited
>Fine of 300,000 yen or less
They haven’t done anything wrong and they haven’t changed their ways. They’re just egocentric and solitary.
This type of person can be successful on their own.
If he dug deeper, there would be too many dangerous things that could happen, so he probably just withdrew early.
The essence of the argument of those who defend it is, “What’s wrong with doing something illegal?”
Are they too stupid to know about extra investigations?
People are making an unnecessary fuss about it…
Not like someone told you
No one really thinks it’s his first offense, but they’re just blaming him for it by brandishing their sense of justice.
Did he make it public?
Did he keep it a secret?
Damn these guys.
The influencers who are increasing the number of defenders are probably Dentsu agents.
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