Japanese basketball players sent home from Asian Games after allegedly paying women for sex

The team will continue with eight players after four flew home on their own dime

Four Japanese basketball players were sent home from the Asian Games in Indonesia after allegedly paying women for sex, leaving just eight players on the Japan roster for the rest of the tournament. The Asian Games, which began over the weekend but have had basketball being played since the beginning of last week, will go until Sep. 2. So Japan will be spending several games shorthanded.

"I feel a sense of shame," Japanese chef de mission Yasuhiro Yamashita said, via the BBC. "We deeply apologize and intend to give the athletes thorough guidance from now on."

The alleged incident occurred after a Thursday win over Qatar. The four players -- identified as Takuya Hashimoto, Keita Imamura, Yuya Nagayoshi and Takuma Sato by officials -- were directed to a bar where they could meet women by a local who spoke Japanese. They reportedly checked into a hotel with four women after spending a few hours at the bar, and didn't leave until Friday morning.

Takuma Sato speaks during a press conference in Tokyo after four players had been withdrawn from the Asian Games Japanese delegation and sent back to Japan. Getty Images

"The players flew back home at their own expense," Yamashita said.

"The athletes should be role models of society, not only in the sporting venues but also on other occasions," he added.

While it isn't fun to have to fly home on your own dime, this situation isn't great for their teammates either. Anyone who's played in an intramural league where a few players didn't show up knows how tough it is to play with limited subs.