Japan to punish Asian Games staff for camera theft

TOKYO — The head of Japan's Asian Games delegation will be severely reprimanded over the theft of a camera by swimmer Naoya Tomita.

Tomita admitted to stealing a camera left at poolside by a South Korean reporter on Sept. 25 at the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea. Tomita has been suspended for 18 months by the country's swimming federation.

At a board meeting on Wednesday, the Japanese Olympic Committee censured Asian Games delegation chief Tsuyoshi Aoki over the incident.

Other members of Japan's delegation will be given warnings, Kyodo News agency reported.

Tomita was caught by surveillance cameras putting the camera in his bag after watching his teammates compete. He paid a fine of about $1,000 and was forced to pay his own airfare back to Japan.