Japanese Gymnastics Captain Out of Olympics for Smoking

Facts

• Shoko Miyata, the 19-year-old captain of the Japan women's artistic gymnastics team, has withdrawn from the Olympics due to a code of conduct violation.¹
• The Japanese Gymnastics Association (JGA) said Friday that Miyata arrived in Japan from Monaco on Thursday after she admitted to smoking and drinking at the National Training Center in Tokyo.²
• Smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol is illegal for anyone under the age of 20 in Japan. In addition, the JGA bans athletes from smoking and drinking during team activities, even if they are of legal age.³
• Because of her expulsion, the women's squad, comprised entirely of first-time Olympians and teenagers, will compete with four athletes instead of five at the Paris Games.⁴
• Though Aiko Sugihara and Chiaki Hatakeda are alternates for the team, Japan isn't considering adding a fifth athlete to replace Miyata.⁵
• Miyata, the reigning Japanese national champion, was a bronze medalist on the balance beam at the 2022 World Championships.⁶

Sources: ¹NBC, ²The Japan Times, ³Time, ⁴Reuters, ⁵Bleacher Report and ⁶Guardian.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by FOX News. While Miyata's conduct could be considered reckless, she shouldn't have been removed from the squad. It should be noted that it was Miyata's first appearance at the Summer Olympics. She must have been under extreme pressure to perform at the highest sporting event. The decision to banish her is overly harsh and must be reconsidered before it ends her promising career.
• Narrative B, as provided by Firstpost. Miyata's actions have ruined the women's gymnastics team's hopes of winning a team medal at the Paris Games for the first time since the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Miyata is the country's national champion, so she must have known and followed the rules. If she felt burdened, Miyata could have sought help. Instead, she opted to violate the code of conduct. Her expulsion should serve as a deterrent.

Predictions