For Kenki Fukuoka, his career could not wait for the Olympics -- the career, that is, he will pursue in the medical field, not as one of Japan's top rugby players.
Fukuoka, who helped Japan make the quarterfinals at last year's Rugby World Cup, will not compete for Japan in the rugby sevens competition at the postponed Tokyo Olympics, an informed source said Saturday.
The 27-year-old speedy winger had intended to play in the Olympics, which was originally scheduled for this summer before being postponed to next year. But that conflicted with his plan to enter medical school and Fukuoka has put priority on starting on the path to becoming a doctor.
On Saturday, the Japan Rugby Football Union announced it was taking Fukuoka's name off its list of candidates for the national sevens team. It is believed that Fukuoka, a member of Panasonic of Japan's domestic top league, had notified the governing body of his intentions to halt activities with the sevens.
Fukuoka plans to hold an online press conference on Sunday.
After the Rugby World Cup, Fukuoka revealed his intention to enter medical school following the Tokyo Olympics. However, when the Games were postponed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, it became a source of speculation on what Fukuoka would do.
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