Olympic medal hope Kento Momota has been kicked off Japan's badminton team for the Olympics this summer for gambling at an illegal casino.The Nippon Badminton Association threw the book at the 21-year-old world No 2, banning him from competition indefinitely, after an emergency meeting to decide the player's fate.Team-mate Kenichi Tago, also found guilty of placing illegal bets, was removed from the organisation's official player list for an indefinite period. Gambling is largely illegal in Japan. Momota became the first Japanese man to win a world championship medal with a bronze in Jakarta last August and had been tipped to challenge for the title in Rio. Momota's absence in Rio will be a major blow to Japan's medal hopes. Japanese badminton chief Kinji Zeniya told reporters in Tokyo that it was important to take a resolute stance against players guilty of illegal acts.