Paying prostitutes for sex: 4 Japanese players kicked out of Asian Games 2018

Jakarta: Four Japanese basketball players have been sent home from the Asian Games in disgrace for allegedly paying prostitutes for sex, the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) said Monday.

The players were spotted in a notorious red light district of Jakarta in their national jerseys last week, JOC officials told a press conference, saying the quartet had been ordered to leave immediately.

The players were kicked off their Asian Games team and sent home Monday after delegation head Yasuhiro Yamashita said they "spent the night in a hotel with women."

Yamashita told a news conference that the four players hooked up with the women after eating and drinking and were easily identified by wearing Japan-emblazoned shirts in an entertainment district.

"I met with the athletes and they deeply regret what they did," Yamashita said. "I apologize from the bottom of my heart as the head of the delegation."

The incident took place after Japan's 82-71 win over Qatar in a group-stage game last Thursday. Japan lost its first game against Taiwan 71-65.

Japanese Olympic officials said they learned of the incident after a newspaper published photographs of the players out on the town.

The JOC identified the four as Takuya Hashimoto, Keita Imamura, Yuya Nagayoshi, and Takuma Sato, and said the players had to pay for their own flights home from Jakarta.

The JOC said the players' behavior was a "clear breach of the team's conduct code, which specifies athletes are to be role models."

The eight remaining players in the Japan squad have a game against Hong Kong on Wednesday.

Japanese swimmer Naoya Tomita was expelled from the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, four years ago after being caught on video stealing a journalist's camera.

It's also far from being the first case of sexual misconduct at a major multisports event, which typically draw thousands of athletes, officials and fans from around the world.

At the 2014 Asian Games, an Iranian official was kicked out for the verbal sexual harassment of a female volunteer, and a Palestinian footballer was accused of groping a female worker at the athletes' village.

In April, at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, a Mauritian official was accused of sexually assaulting a female athlete during a photo shoot.

Organisers say about 18,000 athletes and officials are visiting Jakarta and co-host city Palembang for the Asian Games, a regional Olympics featuring 40 sports.