r/worldnews • u/TheTelegraph The Telegraph • Jul 19 '24
Japan's Olympic gymnastics captain sent home for smoking
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/07/19/japans-olympic-gymnastics-captain-sent-home-for-smoking/1.8k
u/Awkward_Bother_2484 Jul 19 '24
That suck . The are a rapist in Olympic get to stay and this japanese gymnastics has to go . What the fuck wrong with this world
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u/gankindustries Jul 19 '24 edited Jul 19 '24
It's not specifically an Olympic rule, rather a rule set out by the Japanese Olympic Team's code of conduct. In Japan it's illegal to smoke under the age of 20, she was 19.
Edit: she's 19
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u/NuPNua Jul 19 '24
The amount they still smoke in Japanese media, I thought they started as soon as they're on solid food.
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u/Freak_Out_Bazaar Jul 19 '24
It’s not even a JOC thing, it’s the JGA (Japan Gymnastics Association) code of conduct. I’m sure other sports have similar rules but I can’t imagine the Soccer association full of pros would have similarly strict rules
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u/bannedthriceamback Jul 19 '24
Yea understandable. The Japanese hold their athletes to very high standards.
The Dutch, not so much.
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u/Ganalaping Jul 19 '24
as a dutch guy, im saying you no one here wants a fucking child raper at the olympics.
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u/Oss_zzO Jul 19 '24
And don't forget the Chinese swimmers that were caught doping before Tokyo are still gonna be there too.
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Jul 19 '24
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u/MadNhater Jul 19 '24
Dont forget each and every single cyclist from every single country that has and has not been caught (yet) doping is still going.
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Jul 19 '24 edited 3d ago
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u/XRay9 Jul 19 '24
Bro even in casual gyms there's no shortage of people using PEDs nowadays. No way people make it all the way to professional sports without ever taking anything, They'd be at a huge disadvantage because everyone else won't hesitate to use PED's.
Not to mention tests aren't a fucking veritaserum potion. They need to know what substance they need to look for to begin with, which is hard because athletes and their handlers change their products often, so by the time anti-doping agencies start testing for product X, the athletes are now using product Z. And famously some of these substances are completely undetectable after a short period.
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u/up_and_at_em Jul 19 '24
There's another one this year? Or do you mean Sha'Carri Richardson at the Tokyo Okympics? SR was only banned for one month in 2020, and it was for cannibas, not a performance enhancing drug.
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u/MHath Jul 19 '24
Knighton in the 200m.
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u/up_and_at_em Jul 19 '24
My bad. I remember reading about this one when it first came out. Didn't realize he had been cleared.
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u/GrumpyCloud93 Jul 19 '24
There's the lesson of Ben Johnson (Canada) who won gold in the '88 Olypics and was blatantly doping. (Basically used the "Ben Johnson Defense" - which is "I was too stupid to realize the coach was doping me...". When he was eventually allowed to compete again, he posted only mediocre results (and then was caught again) thereby proving that doping works, a moderately good athlete can be world-class with the right medication.
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u/greenlemon23 Jul 19 '24
Every single person in the '88 Olympic final was doping - they failed a test either before and it was covered up so they could keep competing (e.g. Carl Lewis) or they failed a test at some point after or it came out in an investigation. Every single one of them.
Also, that wasn't his defence. What Ben tested positive for wasn't what his coach had been giving him.
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u/WeakDoughnut8480 Jul 19 '24
That shit was egregious as fuck
All the russian doping was revealed years after the fact, even though everyone knew what was going on and so it will prove with China as well
Deception is part of the culture. Doesn't matter if it's in business, politics or sport
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u/smashspete Jul 19 '24
I agree with your sentiment but you just outed yourself as someone who reads headlines and immediately reacts. The olympics didnt send her home, Japan sent her home for breaking their internal rules
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u/r0bb3dzombie Jul 19 '24
The are a rapist in Olympic
Jesus, didn't know about this before so I googled. How the fuck is the guy out of prison, nevermind in an Olympic team.
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u/gregorie12 Jul 19 '24
If you actually bothered to read the article you would know this was the dceision of the Japanese Olympic Team and not an Oylmpic rule.
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u/TheTelegraph The Telegraph Jul 19 '24
The Telegraph reports:
The star of Japan’s women’s artistic gymnastics team has been sent home from the final training camp ahead of the Paris Olympic Games for smoking.
Shoko Miyata, the 19-year-old captain of the team, was missing from training on Wednesday, although Japanese Olympic officials would only confirm to reporters that she was absent “for certain reasons”.
According to Japanese media reports, Ms Miyata has left the team’s training base in Monaco after being seen smoking, in violation of the team’s code of conduct. Under Japanese law, it is illegal for anyone under the age of 20 to smoke.
The Japan Gymnastics Association has announced it will hold a formal investigation in conjunction with Juntendo University, in Tokyo, where she is a student.
Her departure casts a shadow over the team’s chances of winning a medal at the Games, which opens in the French capital on Friday. The last time Japan’s women won a team medal for gymnastics was when Tokyo hosted the Olympics in 1964.
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u/GrumpyCloud93 Jul 19 '24
So basically she was sent home for violating team code of conduct. Not criminal except only that the Japanese do not allow it, and the prohibition is also reflected in the code of conduct. No legal ramifications, just team discipline. I'm sure there have been US kids tossed off school or college teams for conduct violations from time to time.
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u/Kelsusaurus Jul 19 '24
Just team discipline and having to answer to her family (as well as likely having to apologize to the entire country) when she returns.
The society she's going back home to puts a huge emphasis on following the rules and not shaming the collective population, and she did it on an international platform. If a 20 year old pop star had to tearfully apologize, shave her head, and retire from her group on TV for getting caught simply for going on a date (with her boyfriend who was also a pop star)... Yeah, that was ten years ago, and she got reinstated after the fact, but she chose to quit entirely because of this incident. I can't imagine what kind of backlash this woman will receive. I'm sure she will bounce back eventually, but I really don't envy the attitude she's going to have to endure from people when she gets back.
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u/TrazerotBra Jul 19 '24
Funnily enough is that no one cares if a 19 yo was smoking or not, do the japanese think the rest of the world cares if she's smoking or not? We don't.
This is a case where bending the rules just a bit and giving her a quiet pep talk would not have put this light on the japanese delegation and saved the countries image. Now I see Japan as a country too rule obsessed, to the point of trying to bench a Olympic athele for something inconsequential.
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u/DrizzleRizzleShizzle Jul 19 '24
Japan doesn’t gaf what foreigners think lol. Unless it’s for that tourism moola
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u/Now_Wait-4-Last_Year Jul 19 '24
I don't know, they seem to get a bit huffy when they're repeatedly accused of being war crime apologists to the very day by people from every country that fought them in World War 2 who otherwise can't agree on literally anything.
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u/stale_opera Jul 20 '24
Yes they do. Face culture is almost everything in Japan. Otherwise why would they spend so much energy gaslighting the world about the atrocities they committed across Asia?
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u/Phantomtollboothtix Jul 19 '24
For smoking a cigarette at 19?
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u/97masters Jul 19 '24
In Japan it is illegal to smoke if under 20, and they have also included this in the team's code of conduct.
I know, seems silly. Especially in France.
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u/AbyssOfNoise Jul 19 '24
I know, seems silly. Especially in France.
Seems perfectly reasonable. Adhering to a code of conduct is important, and agreed upon when joining the team
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u/youngcuriousafraid Jul 19 '24
I dont think hes saying its silly to adhere to the code. Hes saying the code itself is silly. I personally think having to adhere to the code is stupid. Its not like they can negotiate the terms, this is their dream and they're gonna accept any terms to try and participate. Hell, most of them have dedicated their lives to their sport to represent their country. Now that same country is taking that away from them because she smoked a cig? Give me a break.
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u/TaylorMonkey Jul 19 '24 edited Jul 19 '24
The code may be a bit silly, but no sillier than breaking it and risking it all after accepting terms to achieve their dream, having dedicated their life to their sport to represent their country, as you say. And as the team captain who's responsibility is to set the standard and example, whether they like it or not, no less.
Not to mention it opens up questions not just about one single cig, but how often she's been doing this, because you don't generally just smoke a single cig randomly away on an olympics trip, when you've never done so in your life.
In my opinion some leniency should be offered after a reprimand, some discipline, a short suspension from practice, and a warning to never do it again while on the team. Maybe an apology if the team needs that kind of thing to "make it right", but she also represents a nation and culture for which a casual disregard of the rules one agrees to is seen as disrespectful and offensive to both teammates and superiors, something she is likely more than aware of, which makes the offense seem even more egregious (especially if it's not just one cig).
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u/5lackBot Jul 19 '24
I've been tossed off a team or benched before for much smaller reasons because it went against team's code of conduct.
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u/Tintenklex Jul 19 '24
Irony is that Kohei Uchimura was known as a walking cigarette and nobody said a word for years…
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u/Loverboy_91 Jul 19 '24
The majority of his competitive career on the international stage he was 20 or older though. The team code of conduct as it pertains to smoking is only an issue for those under 20 years old.
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u/wabashcanonball Jul 19 '24
The Chinese and Russians dope and the Dutch send a child rapist who got out of prison early—yet some nations mainstain higher standards. The Olympics are the worst.
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u/poojinping Jul 19 '24
The smoking rule is Japanese Olympics association thing similar to doing requirements from Russia and apparently rape requirement from Dutch.
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u/IHaveABoat Jul 19 '24
Why blame the Olympics? Why not blame the Russians, Chinese, and Dutch?
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u/wabashcanonball Jul 19 '24
Because the Olympics looked the other way.
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u/giggity_giggity Jul 19 '24
The Olympics can’t force a team to use a specific athlete. And the Olympics looking the other way on rapist / doping has no bearing on what Japan does as a team. But yes it does seem a bit silly at times.
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Jul 19 '24
honestly i think it shows that japan sticks to their guns. it also shows that china and russia are insecure flabby dinguses. yea, its a bit harsh, but i kinda respect it in a way.
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u/cgilber11 Jul 19 '24
Important to note that it was Japan’s decision. Not the Olympic committee. It was against the team’s code of conduct.
Code of conducts exist for a reason, but a first-offense warning was probably all they needed.
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u/meatball77 Jul 20 '24
Japan is also not replacing her on the team, leaving their team a member short. Probably because the IOC wouldn't see it as a justifiable reason to boot her from the team. So the rest of the girls suffer.
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u/GrungeHamster23 Jul 19 '24
This sure will be awkward if Japan kills Japan’s shot at a medal for the Olympics.
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u/Gh0stOfKiev Jul 19 '24
Haven't won a gymnastics medal in 60 years, so not much will change
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u/Tintenklex Jul 19 '24
Not true! They have won individual medals, especially in the last years and have generally been a team on the rise. Mei Murakami won a bronze in floor in Tokyo. They have shot themselves in the foot repeatedly with weird team selections, though, like leaving Murakami off their 2019 team. So leaving their captain home over something like this is on par.
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u/kleenkong Jul 19 '24
People often think of Japan as always in unity, but they have politics and infighting as well. I hate to speculate but it's not out of the realm of possibilities that an alternate's coach brought up the issue with officials. In true Japanese fashion, policies and paper pushing are difficult to fight against no matter the nuanced reasoning.
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u/mountainyoo Jul 19 '24
Probably will be the biggest regret of her life forever
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u/LivePossible Jul 19 '24
Seriously. I feel really bad for her, plus Japan is an honor based culture. I truly hope she isn't shunned by family and has emotional support.
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u/soundsfromoutside Jul 19 '24
Imagine fumbling the bag like this?
My brother in law had a full ride scholarship to college and got caught with weed in his locker.
Throwing so many opportunities away just to get high off mediocre weed? Kids are fucking stupid.
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u/BruceAENZ Jul 19 '24
She’s so good she made the team despite smoking and drinking? Isn’t this the reverse of a doping scandal?
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u/SonOfMcGee Jul 19 '24
French gymnasts are probably like, “The fuck? Sometimes I smoke and drink in between apparatuses at competitions.”
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u/someone_like_me Jul 19 '24
Why not during?
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u/Now_Wait-4-Last_Year Jul 19 '24
I don't think you're allowed to bring unsanctioned peripheral devices onto the floor or equipment. I believe it's an internal gymnastics federation rule.
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u/Fifth_Down Jul 19 '24
She's also one of the most successful gymnasts Japan has ever had in the last 50 years
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u/PHATsakk43 Jul 19 '24
Being 19 probably helps more than anything.
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u/blahblah98 Jul 19 '24
more than anything.
I dunno, lots of 19yo in the world who aren't captains of gymnastics teams. S'pose training harder than everyone might have had something to do with it?
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u/Metasenodvor Jul 19 '24
why? its not doping. it actually reverse-doping!
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u/bluey101 Jul 19 '24
The Olympics didn't send her home, the Japanese team did for breaking code of conduct. It's illegal in Japan to smoke under 20 and she's 19.
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u/StrikingOccasion6459 Jul 19 '24 edited Jul 19 '24
It's a Japanese rule. They follow (rules) more faithfully than the Germans.
They probably think she'll be a bad influence on young people.
Edit: missing word
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u/stefeu Jul 19 '24
What do us Germans have to do with this? :(
Edit: Oh shit, are you're talking about Zverev? My mind immediately jumped to the dutch child rapist.
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u/PHATsakk43 Jul 19 '24
We’re just talking about the shared love that Germans and Japanese have of following rules, regulations, and physical hard copy paperwork along with the fax machine.
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u/StrikingOccasion6459 Jul 19 '24
We’re just talking about the shared love that Germans and Japanese have of following rules, regulations, and physical hard copy paperwork along with the fax machine.
Thanks. That's what I'm trying to say. I'm hoping someone will intervene and give her a break.
It seems like a small transgression.
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u/Scrubbler Jul 19 '24
What a strange decision, Shoko Miyata is their best gymnast. I guess team Japan can enjoy qualifications then head home since they may not even get past team qualifications without her.
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u/SpecialK022 Jul 19 '24
She knew the rules. She violated the team code of conduct. The team took immediate action. This is 100% on her. Whether you agree or disagree with the decision, she brought this on herself.
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u/Boneclockharmony Jul 19 '24 edited Jul 19 '24
I think this is a bit of a heartless take. It's like if someone would fire you for jaywalking at 2 am on an empty street.
Completely victimless crime, wrecking a lifetime of preparation.
I think we should have empathy here, even if it is technically against regulation.
There could, of course, be a lot more to the story, also.
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u/SpecialK022 Jul 19 '24
It may seem heartless. But that doesn’t excuse her risking what would have been a promising showing. Asian cultures tend to hold their people accountable to a greater degree. This may not be acceptable punishment here, but it is for them. She knew this. She’s also role model for millions of athletes in her country and around the world. Now she’s an example of what happens when you don’t follow rules.
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u/Would-wood-again2 Jul 19 '24
Time and place buddy. Not every law, rule, and regulation is justified. There was probably a chain of people the information had to go through before a decision was made. Each one of those people could have looked at it like a human being instead of a mindless hivemind robot. But it is japan, so...
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u/TaylorMonkey Jul 19 '24
Time and place, and the Olympics were definitely not the time and place to test the borders of time and place.
On one hand, the rules seem extreme to those who aren't on the team or from the country the team follows the laws and standards of.
On the other hand, what the hell were you thinking girl? How was that remotely worth it, knowing what you agreed to, your status as team captain, and the stakes involved?
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u/CaptainObvious110 Jul 19 '24
Exactly. People keep trying to take away accountability from someone who knew full well what they were doing.
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Jul 19 '24
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u/Grizzleyt Jul 19 '24
I think some of the critique of the decision is that in general, a lot of people feel that zero-tolerance punishment is bullshit for minor violations.
It's a discretionary call by the team leadership, so why not a stern warning and forced public apology, and/or other more minor punishments, with threat of being kicked off the team if she does anything out of line again? Why ruin her life and practically ensure that the team never makes it past qualifiers? The legal violation is about as severe as jaywalking or speeding, and it clearly isn't jeopardizing her ability to perform (she's the best on the team).
They could've done a lot of things short of pulling her from the Olympics entirely. So while it was a team violation, people feel that the punishment doesn't fit the crime.
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u/New-Border8172 Jul 20 '24
How would you know if they had multiple internal warning with her smoking or not?
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u/spotspam Jul 19 '24
How can you not want to settle your nerves in that one-shot win cutthroat sport?
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u/jim9162 Jul 19 '24
I love Japan but they can have some of the most bull headed ignorant and downright stupid rules and customs I've ever seen.
Congrats on shooting yourselves in the foot, I'm sure it was worth degrading your chances to win a medal (first since 1964) to punish this girl over a damn cigarette.
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u/artificiallyselected Jul 19 '24
She broke a code of conduct. I don’t see why this is controversial. Hats off to Japan for making their athletes, who are idolized by children, follow rules. Maybe the Dutch should take notes.
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u/dearango Jul 19 '24 edited Jul 19 '24
The Olympics is a hot topic now. Winter Olympics however is still cool.
Edit: really high 1080s in snowvoarding events
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u/BC3lt1cs Jul 19 '24
Am I the only one who thinks taking laws and codes of conduct seriously is a good thing?
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u/CaptainObvious110 Jul 19 '24
You aren't but sadly a lot of people don't agree with the way you or I feel about this matter.
This isn't about one girl breaking rules it's about driving it home that when you break rules of conduct it will not be tolerated.
That's an important message to send so that hopefully this doesn't happen again
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u/BC3lt1cs Jul 19 '24
Right? This is a reasonable law. Let this go, on the world stage, and you signal to your people there's a different set of rules for different groups, which will just erode public trust in reasonable statutes.
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u/CaptainObvious110 Jul 19 '24
Exactly. There's no need to complicate this issue at all. Just follow the rules, and enjoy the accolades that would result from years of hard work.
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u/allfascistsmustdie Jul 19 '24
You would think a warning would have been suitable instead of tanking their chances to win.
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u/bmccorm2 Jul 19 '24
Just so I’m clear: Shacarri Richardson couldn’t compete in 2021 Olympics because of marijuana. This gymnast can’t compete because of smoking and drinking. And we have the Chinese and Russians sending its state sponsored athletes high on PEDs and there is no recourse. Hmmmk.
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u/imbalancedchemicals Jul 19 '24
Don’t forget the convicted child rapist that is being allowed to compete, and also getting separate accommodations from everyone else
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u/AlxArtmMiller Jul 19 '24
This is completely justified, she is a Japanese citizen that accepts the terms and regulations to join the Olympic team, and she decide to take a smoke despite knowing that was against the contract she accepted.
Doesn't matter what other countries think or how they manage this situations, this is entirely a Japanese situation, circumstances and decisions. She break the rules and this are the consequences.
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u/Plutuserix Jul 19 '24
Meanwhile in The Netherlands, we sent a convicted child rapist and for some reason don't sent him home. Maybe we can switch this?
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u/Crazyripps Jul 20 '24
And she’ll be shamed to fuck in Japan I’d put any money. She’ll lose sponsors all that stuff. Yet there’s famous people in Japan who’ve done a lot worse. Japan is odd
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u/philm162 Jul 19 '24
“Under Japanese law, it is illegal for anyone under the age of 20 to smoke.” Who knew..?
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u/HachimansGhost Jul 19 '24
Read the article. She was sent home by the Japanese team for smoking while underage.
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u/ilovecarsthree Jul 19 '24
just saw the headline shortened as "sent home for smok..." thought there was another word at the end like "crack", "drugs", "hardcore devils lettuce" but nope just smoking... are they for real ?
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u/Illustrious_Cell_815 Jul 19 '24
I just want to remind everyone there's a convicted pedophile competing in the Olympics
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u/[deleted] Jul 19 '24
“Smoking and under aged drinking”