Simone Biles Explains Olympics Withdrawal: "I Didn't Quit"
Shoko Miyata won’t be landing any moves in France.
One week before the 2024 Paris Olympics begin, the captain of Team Japan’s women’s gymnastics squad will no longer compete after violating the team’s code of conduct by smoking at their training camp in Monaco.
"With her confirmation and after discussions on all sides,” Japan Gymnastics Association secretary general Kenji Nishimura told reporters at a media conference in Tokyo July 19, per the BBC, “it has been decided that she will withdraw from the Olympics.”
The JGA confirmed that the 19-year-old’s removal from the event would mean that four athletes would compete instead of five. The association’s president Tadashi Fujita added, with a deep bow, “We apologize from the bottom of our hearts for this.”
Shoko had proven her talent in the sport, winning bronze in the balance beam event at the 2022 World Championships and gold at the All Japan Championship this April.
photosOlympic Gymnasts: Where Are They Now?
Her personal coach Mutsumi Harada tearfully noted that although her actions were reckless, she was under immense stress during practice as team captain.
"She was spending her days really burdened with so much pressure," he said, according to the outlet. "I would implore people to understand that."
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The mental health of Olympians has been a major point of conversation, with many competitors opening up about their own struggles. For instance, Simone Biles withdrew from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after a rare misstep during her vault rotation, choosing to prioritize her mental health.
"For anyone saying I quit, I didn't quit," Simone wrote on Instagram after her decision. “My mind & body are simply not in sync—as you can see here. I don't think you realize how dangerous this is on hard/competition surfaces. Nor do I have to explain why I put health first. Physical health is mental health."
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“It randomly started happening after prelims competition the VERY next morning,” she continued. “By that time, NO an alternate was not allowed to be placed in my position for you 'know it alls.' We have 4 on a team for a reason. I chose to not continue team competition in jeopardizing losing a medal (of any color) for the girls/US. Also, for my own safety and health."
E! News has reached out to the Japanese Gymnastics Association and Coach Harada and has not heard back.
Keep reading to see how other athletes navigated the stress of competing in the Olympics.