Olympics medal contender, 19, SENT HOME from Paris 2024 Games just eight days before opening ceremony
JAPANESE medal hope Shoko Miyata is reportedly set to be axed from the Paris Olympics.
The 19-year-old is captain of her country’s artistic gymnastics team.
But Miyata has allegedly fallen foul of her squad’s code of conduct after being found to have smoked.
Japanese outlet Kyodo News claim the Japan Gymnastics Association is investigating and set to send her home.
Miyata was not seen at Wednesday’s open training session.
JGA head of development Hikaru Tanaka said she was absent “for certain reasons.”
Miyata won bronze in the balance beam at the world championships in 2022.
Her absence will be a huge blow to Japan, who were hoping to earn a first team gymnastics medal since the 1964 Games on home soil in Tokyo.
The Games are set to begin on July 26 with a glitzy opening ceremony in Paris.
Laura Woods has joined Eurosport’s presenter team after starring on ITV’s Euro 2024 coverage.
BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS
Paris Olympics with 300k condoms
Nearly 15,000 residents – around 10,500 of which are athletes – will be cramming into the Olympic village between July 26 and August 11.
To ensure the athletes feel at home, a number of provisions have been made by organisers.
One of these is the stocking of some 300,000 condoms, in theory enough for around two every day during the run of the Games.
A number of Olympic athletes have opened the door on their steamy lives behind-the-scenes when in camp, including huge sex orgies and parties.
London 2012 had claimed the title of “the raunchiest Games ever”, but the 150,000 condoms ordered paled in comparison to the 450,000 ordered for the Rio Games four years later.
Condoms have been laid on by organisers at every game since Seoul 1988, when it they were used to spread awareness of HIV and AIDS.
Even with an intimacy ban at Tokyo 2020 due to Covid-19, some 150,000 johnnies were handed out.
Read the full story here.
She will appear on Eurosport UK as part of a team that boasts 19 Olympic and Paralympic medals between them.
That includes two-time gold medal winner James Cracknell, as well as two-time taekwondo medalist Lutalo Muhammad.
The BBC will stream much of the biggest action on free-to-air, with Clare Balding, Gabby Logan and Hazel Irvine leading the coverage.
Meanwhile, Steve Redgrave has joined talkSPORT for the event.
The five-time gold medallist has not missed a Games since 1980 but was axed by the BBC and faced the prospect of not working in Paris.
Redgrave is one of ten Team GB medal winners on talkSPORT this summer – it is the first time they will broadcast from the Games.
