19-Year-Old Japanese Gymnastics Captain Kicked Off Olympic Team For Smoking Cigarette

Just days ahead of the Paris Summer Olympics opening ceremony, Japanese Olympic gymnast star Shoko Miyata was dismissed by the team after being caught smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol.

The 19-year-old is Japan's biggest gymnastics star and the reigning national title leader, as well as won a bronze medal during the 2022 World Gymnastics Championship. She was set to be Japan's Gymnastics Captain for this summer's Olympic games. 

Japanese gymnast Shoko Miyata celebrates a big victory. (Photo by Kiyoshi Ota/Getty Images)

However, in a statement by the Japanese Gymnastics Association, Miyata has been kicked off the team and sent back to Japan from the gymnastics training facility after she was caught and admitted to smoking cigarettes and consuming alcohol. Despite being 19-years-old and the legal age of being an adult in Japan recently moved from 20 to 18-years-old, it's still illegal to smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol under the age of 20. Sure, technically it may be illegal but I doubt the lawmakers have ever faced the pressure of being a teenager and having to compete in front of hundreds of millions of people during the Olympics. Maybe a couple puffs of a nicotine stick helped calm Miyata down from time to time. 

The bizarre story has become a major scandal in Japan as they have self-imposed their own punishment by kicking Miyata off and won't have enough time to replace her. Japan will now have a team of 4 rather than 5 gymnasts. All one has to do is head to social media to see just how absurd the criticism has gotten. 

JAPAN'S GYMNASTICS STAR SHOKO MIYATA HAS BEEN SENT HOME

Some Japanese fans are condemning Miyata and saying that she will "regret this for a lifetime,"  while another person astonishingly wrote that "Even if illegally an adult, smoking is prohibited. It's unthinkable for an athlete to smoke." More level-headed fans asked the Association to grant her some leniency to no avail.

I guess that person doesn't know too much about Western culture.  Some of the NBA's greatest basketball players have been seen smoking cigars (and other substances) and still manage to compete at a top level, not to mention Vince Vaughn putting on one heck of a gymnastics performance while trying to get the Old School fraternity charter ban rescinded. Still holding indeed, Vince!

OVERBOARD?

I understand that every country has its own set of rules, but to kick off your team captain for smoking some darts and maybe having a shot of Sake seems a BIT much. This isn't a Brittney Griner situation we're talking about here - it's not like it was cannabis. 

Regardless, it's good news for Simone Biles and the rest of Team USA's gymnastics squad as Japan was one of the favorites to medal in the all-around competition. 

DO YOU THINK JAPAN WENT OVERBOARD BY KICKING MIYATA SHOKO OFF THE TEAM?  TWEET ME: @TheGunzShow