Japanese gymnast set to miss Olympics for smoking

Japan women's artistic gymnastics captain Shoko Miyata is set to be sent home from the Olympic Games after allegedly breaking a smoking ban, the country's Kyodo news agency has reported., external

An investigation by the Japan Gymnastics Association (JGA) will be carried out which leaves Miyata's participation at the Paris Olympics in doubt, it said.

Smoking is in violation of the association's code of conduct.

The 19-year-old was not seen at Wednesday's open training session in Monaco with her absence said to be "for certain reasons", the JGA's head of development told Kyodo.

Miyata, who won a bronze medal at the 2022 World Championships in Liverpool, will be interviewed by the JGA and her Juntendo University team once she returns to Japan.

Japan are aiming to gain their first artistic gymnastics team medal since the 1964 Tokyo Games.

The Paris Games open on 26 July.