"I should attach the deplorable and unprofessional acts of our basketball players. What they have done is not an ideal model of our society and they have betrayed our public confidence as well as our sport," Chief de Mission of Japan Olympic Committee Yasuhiro Yamashita said during a press conference here on Sunday.
The four Japanese basketball players were spotted in a notorious red light district of the Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, wearing their national jerseys. As a result of the buying sex scandal, they were promptly sent home in disgrace on August 20.
Despite the disgraced acts of their basketball players, it had not affected his country`s national team as a whole, Yamashita emphasized adding that the remaining team fought hard in event.
"Our women`s basketball players have even fought hard and had determination to give everything in each game. So I think, the case does not affect the whole team," he said.
The expulsion of Yuya Nagayoshi, Takuya Hashimoto, Takuma Sato, and Keita Imamura came as a major embarrassment for Japan, which is gearing up for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The Japan Basketball Association announced on Aug 29 that the four players would be barred for a year from official tournaments.
Reporting by Azizah Fitriyanti
Editing by Rahmad Nasution
Reporter: antara
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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