Pokemon addiction proves costly for Japanese gymnast

Pokemon hunters crowd under a green canopy with their mobile phones as they play "Pokemon Go". Japanese Olympic gymnast Kohei Uchimura was stunned to receive a $4,900 mobile phone bill after playing the popular augmented-reality game. File Photo: Hiroshi Otabe

Pokemon hunters crowd under a green canopy with their mobile phones as they play "Pokemon Go". Japanese Olympic gymnast Kohei Uchimura was stunned to receive a $4,900 mobile phone bill after playing the popular augmented-reality game. File Photo: Hiroshi Otabe

Published Aug 3, 2016

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Japanese gymnastics star Kohei Uchimura was left counting the cost of his recent addiction to Pokemon Go at the Rio Olympics.

The reigning Olympic and world all-around champion became hooked on the smartphone game after touching down in Brazil to prepare for the defence of his title.

But to Uchimura's horror he was hit with a 500,000 yen ($5,000) bill after discovering that he did not have a flat rate for overseas data usage. - AFP

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