The head coach of Japan's Olympic badminton team insists the gambling scandal that engulfed the sport three months ago will not cast a shadow over his squad at next month's Rio Games.
Japanese badminton was reluctantly thrust into the spotlight in April when star player Kento Momota — ranked No. 2 in the world — and teammate Kenichi Tago admitted to gambling at illegal casinos.
The 21-year-old Momota, who was expected to challenge for the men's singles gold medal in Rio, was subsequently thrown off the team, while Tago was indefinitely removed from the Nippon Badminton Association's official player list.