In a potential blow to the morale of Japanese Olympic swimming, World champion and Olympic medalist Daiya Seto has vacated his post as team captain.
It was recently revealed in Asian press and confirmed by 26-year-old Seto that the dad of two had engaged in an extramarital affair. The situation came to light last week, with Seto issuing a formal public apology.
On September 24th, Seto said in a statement released by his management company, “My careless act hurt my precious family and caused trouble and dismay for all my supporters, sponsoring companies and many other people.”
“With deep remorse, I would like to discuss with my family what to do next.”
Now The Japan Times is reporting that Seto visiting the Japan Swimming Federation (JASF) today, September 30th and submitted his resignation as captain for next year’s Olympic Games. He was nominated for the role in January of this year based on large part to his become Japan’s first-ever double IM World champion with his 200m IM and 400m IM victories in Gwangju. Those gold medal-worthy performances earned the man an automatic bid to compete at a home-based Olympic Games; it still holds with the postponement as well.
Regarding his team captain resignation, a federation executive told The Japan Times, Seto said, “I’m very sorry. I want to do my best to restore peoples’ trust, so I ask for your continuing support in this effort.”
Seto’s decision is set to be reviewed at a JASF Executive Board meeting scheduled for October 6th.
Seto also relinquished his image-rights agreement with the Japanese Olympic Committee, as well as severed his ties with corporate sponsor All Nippon Airways Co. (AN), per the airline’s request. (The Japan Times).
“We have been supporting Seto, but this problem does not fit with the image our company hopes to project,” the company said through a communications officer.
Coming off of a red-hot year of breaking records and taking names in the pool, Seto was primed to be on top of the world at a Tokyo Olympic Games. With the postponement of the Olympics to next year due to the coronavirus pandemic brought intense feelings of sadness and despair for Seto who in April said, “I couldn’t think of anything positive to say because I had dedicated myself so much to the Tokyo Olympics. When the postponement was announced I was left with a gaping hole I couldn’t fill – I was empty.
“There was no way I could bring myself to talk about next year and honestly, I’m still struggling to pick up the pieces and regroup.”
I feel sorry for his wife and children but not him. He knew what the consequences were if caught but still chose time betray his family, all because he felt empty. Oh, FYI, after the tryst he ran to pick his daughter to at playschool…great guy!!
How is this anyone’s business? Is there something more to this affair? Weird.
Lived in Japan 10 years. Tokyo now…. The entire country cheats and is based on cheating. The love hotel industry is infidelity’s sales pitch in Japan. I fully support his cheating. It’s normal in Japan BECAUSE women in Japan have two purposes in Japanese society: Obey and make children. Most of them shut off after having kids. Not distinctly unique globally but it is particularly pronounced in Japanese culture. Their value diminishes severely after they turn 30 and after having children. It’s brutal for women if you are single and over 30. Also, many married women cheat here which I can attest to.
Did ppl not see the signs ? He ‘ split ‘ with his long time coach whining about doing 11 sessions of no doubt hard sessions . My guess then was he was thrown out due to moral issues not training.
Japan is a closed society still & are determined to keep their cultural castle defended . They will punish him within their social norms & apply an AA rehabilitation program . Let’s leave them to it .
They won’t. Cheating is normal in japan. I am surprised this is even a story… it’s the norm. Public scrutiny for celebrities is the difference.
Leave him alone he’s just trying to be like Trump
He bringing the lady to Budapest?
Just when things were looking up for him lately … was the affair with a fellow swimmer? Not the first swimmer to have such controversy surely. Even the great katinka Hoszu and Mitch Larkin were involved in separate cheating scandals recently
It was a flight attendant. Not a fellow swimmer.
I hope he can get back on track mentally. I really want him to do well at the Olympics. He has been so good over the last 18 months.