|
 Tomita was expelled from the Sept. 19 to Oct. 4 Games in Incheon
and told he had to pay his own way home after admitting to stealing
a camera valued at 8 million won ($7,600) from a journalist working
for a South Korean news agency.
Japan's Kyodo news agency reported that the JOC held a board meeting
on Wednesday and decided to censure delegation chief Tsuyoshi Aoki,
as well as hand out stern warnings to general director Yuji Takada
and official Daichi Suzuki.
A formal decision would be made at an executive meeting on Nov. 21,
Kyodo added.
"I feel sorry and feel regret (about what has happened)," said JOC
President Tsunekazu Takeda. "I want to apologize to all the people
(of Japan)."
 Tomita has been suspended for 18 months by the country's swimming
federation and fired from his job after stealing the camera at the
Games.
He was initially told he had to stay in South Korea until the case
was resolved but was cleared to leave after being issued with a
summary indictment and paying a fine of 1 million won.
A former world champion, Tomita won a gold medal in breaststroke at
the last Asian Games in 2010 but failed to win any medals this time.
He was caught on closed circuit television stealing the camera after
the journalist reported his gear missing.
[to top of second column] |
Kyodo reported Tomita had been suspended by the Japanese Swimming
Federation until March 31, 2016.
His employer, sports apparel manufacturer Descente, had fired the
25-year-old swimmer, Kyodo said.
The federation's executive director Masafumi Izumi and national team
manager Norimasa Hirai had been censured over the incident.
(Reporting by Peter Rutherford in Seoul; Editing by Ian Ransom/Amlan
Chakraborty)
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
