She was set to lead the team to bring Japan’s first gymnastics medal from the Olympic arena since 1964. But Shoko Miyata and her 4 comrades do not have any experience in competing in the largest sporting spectacle of the world. And Miyata is only 19. Sounds too much to handle? Such it was for Miyata. Probably, this was what made her search for an escape route. Unfortunately, that landed her in a forbidden territory of underage smoking and drinking that saw her Olympic dreams go up in smoke. And she responded in a way that might not be much different from any other teenager.

Allegations against Miyata at the Tokyo National Training Center surfaced on July 15. The Japanese Gymnastics Association immediately launched an investigation. As per the regulations, the legal age for drinking is 20, and consuming alcohol or smoking while any events are ongoing is strictly prohibited. After admitting to being guilty, Miyata was asked to head home. In the wake of this, Japan will now compete with 4 gymnasts instead of 5. With gushes of public opinion pouring in, Miyata took a drastic step to disconnect herself from social media.

According to a Reddit post, a crestfallen Shoko Miyata removed all her Instagram posts. Not only that, she also deleted her X account. These measures taken by the youngster have left the fans worrying. The situation has become all the more concerning with the statement of Miyata’s coach Mutsumi Harada after the revelation. 

“She was spending her days really burdened with so much pressure. I would implore people to understand that,” a teary-eyed Harada had said. But before the debacle, Miyata was one of the brightest hopes for Japan in Paris. The reigning national champion of Japan caught attention back in 2022 when she secured a bronze medal in balance beam in her debut World Championships in Liverpool. This May, she won her third coveted NHK trophy, which sealed her spot on the national team for the Paris Olympics. And she has been a true fighter.

“I didn’t give up until the end,” Miyata had said when she performed and won the 2023 NHK trophy with a fractured heel and ankle soreness. Then again, she overcame her left groin injury during the 2024 NHK championships. By the end of it, she left the podium with her left thigh and ankles wrapped in ice! The fall of such a Braveheart once again brings attention back to the pressure faced by young athletes on their way to major competitions, something that has engulfed the likes of Simone Biles and Sha’Carri Richardson in the past. However, the Japan Gymnastics Association (JGA) extended its support to Miyata.

“It is not only the gymnast’s responsibility but also the association’s, and we want to support Miyata to take a new step forward,” JGA President Naoshi Fujita said in a press conference. With the official, fans and well-wishers came forward in support and empathy for the ill-fated gymnast.

Shoko Miyata’s fall from Grace sparks a wave of fan support

“I offer my sincere apologies for causing a great amount of trouble to many people over Miyata,” said JGA Chairman Tadashi Fujita in a press conference on July 19th. However, Miyata’s supporters didn’t accept this apology much. Upon Miyata’s deletion of the X account and her posts from Instagram, many concerned supporters voiced their opinions on the matter.

One Reddit user wrote, “I feel so sorry for her. The way this news went viral internationally really surprised me. It must be horrible when not only your Olympic journey ends this way, but also when it’s getting so much attention.” Let us present a statistic to let you understand the virality. A July 19 X post by the livedoornews informing Miyata’s exit has to date received some twelve million views!

Highlighting the worldwide impact of Shoko Miyata’s eviction has resulted in one fan commenting, “It made the top of worldnews on Reddit. That is insane for a gymn story”. Many of you might relate it to the worldwide attention that Simone Biles received after she pulled out of the Tokyo Olympics because of her twisties. While Simone was not barred from performing, one common factor was the mental pressure and anxiety of carrying the expectations of an entire nation on their shoulders.

Remember Simone saying how she had felt like she would be “banned” in the USA for not living up to the expectations in Tokyo? Even before that, a gymnast of her stature had to face social media hate for taking a break after her Rio Olympics triumph. Quite obviously, Miyata also had to face some harsh social judgment.

Pointing at that, one user wrote, “I hope she get all the support she needs at this unfortunate and difficult situation. There are some nasty comments to her accounts, and it can be tough for her due to social judgement.” Looking at Miyata, we can not help but recollect the instance of Sha’Carri Richardson. The reigning 100m champion also surrendered to Marijuana, not knowing how to cope up with the pain of her biological mother’s death. That eventually cost her the Tokyo Olympics.

Sha’Carri was much more outspoken back then. She instantly came out explaining her pain in an interview with Today. But not everyone can show such nerves. One user understood Shoko Miyata’s wish for privacy in such a sensitive situation.

“I really hope she has just archived all her old posts rather than actually permanently deleted them. I get why she doesn’t want them for public consumption, but there may come a time where she wants to revisit privately. Selfishly, I’m gutted to not see her perform in Paris after her becoming my unexpected fave at 2022 Worlds,” wrote the user. Thus, with support coming in, it will now be on Shoko Miyata to show her character. We will wait to see her not only back but better!