Japan women’s gymnastics Captain faces ban for smoking

Shoko Miyata, the 19-year-old captain of Japan’s women’s artistic gymnastics team, may be dismissed from the squad prior to the Paris Games for allegedly violating the team’s code of conduct by smoking.

The Japanese Gymnastics Association are investigating the situation and Miyata is expected to be sent home from the team’s training camp in Monaco, Kyodo News reported on Thursday.

The JGA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Reuters news agency.

Miyata was not seen at training on Wednesday, which was open to the media, but team officials would not say why, the paper said.

Hopes are high for the Japan women’s gymnastics team, who are looking to win a team medal at the Paris Games for the first time since the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Miyata was expected to lead a team comprised entirely of first-time Olympians and teenagers after she secured her Paris berth in May with a third consecutive NHK trophy.

Artistic gymnastics is one of the most popular sports at the Summer Games and will be held from July 27 to Aug. 5.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission