An unexpected dropout occurred just before the anticipated high school Ekiden (relay marathon) begun. The name of the team or the reasons behind the sudden dropout are yet to be disclosed. It is a significant event as Ekiden is a major high-school athletic event in Japan and dropout of a team can create a significant impact on the competition.

Ekiden is a long-distance relay road race that originated in Japan and is one of the fan-favourite high school athletic events. Both local and national Ekiden races are widely broadcasted and followed. The high school teams train intensively for the competitions and the dropout of a team often causes speculation and disappointments among sports watchers. The discipline and perseverance displayed by the students is representative of cultural values in Japan.

In the US or EU, high school sports like football, baseball, or track events are similarly followed closely, and an unexpected dropout would cause similar stir. The reasons behind such dropouts are often scrupulously analyzed and discussed by sports analysts in these regions too.