The Japanese Seto Daiya during the 200m medley in Beijing on January 18, 2020. -
CHINA NOUVELLE / SIPA
The world champion in the 200m and the 400m medley Daiya Seto, a great Japanese medal hopeful at the Tokyo Olympics next year, was deprived of competition and official training until the end of the year, after revelations about an extra-marital relationship.
The 26-year-old athlete, married and father of a family, accepted his sanction imposed by the Japanese Swimming Federation, apologizing for his "irresponsible behavior" in a statement released Tuesday.
He also relinquished his status as captain of the Olympic team.
Daiya Seto Resigns as Japan's Olympic Captain After Extra-Marital Affair - https://t.co/doRzj1m3jF pic.twitter.com/EWYs6hrCIi
- Swimming World (@SwimmingWorld) October 2, 2020
Like local celebrities in the entertainment industry (music, cinema, television), Japanese athletes are asked to behave in an exemplary manner, and any deviation is severely sanctioned.
A local tabloid had published in September a video of Daiya Seto going with his mistress in a "love hotel".
The swimmer will however be able to continue to train in private for the Tokyo Olympics, which have been postponed to the summer of 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
He is the reigning world champion in the 200m and 400m individual medley, and won bronze at the Rio 2016 Olympics in the 400m medley.
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