The 25-year-old former world champion, who admitted to taking the camera after being confronted with compelling closed circuit television evidence proving he had done so, was kicked out of the Games in Incheon and initially booked without detention and barred from leaving the country until the case was resolved.

He was later cleared to leave after being issued with a summary indictment and paying a fine of KRW₩1,000,000 (£540/$980/€745), which only comes to one eighth of the reported price of the camera, which belonged to a South Korean journalist from Yonhap News Agency, the official agency of Incheon 2014.

Naoya Tomita (centre) won a gold medal in the 200m breaststroke competition at the 2010 World Short Course Championships in Dubai ©Getty Images

Japan's Kyodo News agency has reported that Tomita has been suspended by the Japanese Swimming Federation until March 31 2016 and his sponsor, sports apparel manufacturer Descente, has withdrawn its financial backing.

The suspension would take Tomita out of the running for next summer's International Swimming Federation World Championships and would only regain his eligibility shortly before Japan's trials for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, which are scheduled for April 16 2016.

The Federation's executive director Masafumi Izumi and national team manager Norimasa Hirai have been censured over the incident.