Canoeing: Doping scandal worries public with 2020 on horizon

An unprecedented doping incident involving top Japanese kayakers that came to light on Tuesday has tainted the nation`s clean athletic reputation with an unusual stain.

The incident -- Tokyo Olympic hopeful Yasuhiro Suzuki lacing the drink of rival teammate Seiji Komatsu with an anabolic steroid -- has made an especially strong impact in the run-up to 2020, and is shedding light on the importance of supervision and mental care as the games draw near....

....Another managing director of the federation said, "I want to create a system as soon as possible for those who are working daily under stress and strong pressure to be able to open up about their worries and receive guidance."....

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Bethany`s Notes: Don`t hear about doping in Japan...EVER! Lacing a competitor`s drink in order to get them banned is severe. There needs to be a place where athletes can open up about the pressure and stress they are feeling. Time for Japan to open up more about mental health and the reality that it is happening!