PARIS: Japanese gymnast Shoko Miyata has been sent home from the Paris Olympics over allegations of smoking, local media reported Friday.
The Japan Gymnastics Association was investigating the 19-year-old captain of the women’s gymnastics team to determine if she had breached their code of conduct. Smoking is illegal under the age of 20 in Japan.
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Several reports stated that Miyata, who was expected to contend for a medal in Paris, had already left the team’s training camp in Monaco. Her participation in the Games remains “unclear,” according to these reports.
It was reported that she did not attend training on Wednesday, with a JGA official citing her absence was “for certain reasons.” Japanese Olympic officials were scheduled to hold a press conference in Tokyo on Friday afternoon.
Miyata won bronze in the balance beam at the 2022 World Championships in Liverpool and secured the all-around title at Japan’s national championships earlier this year.
