Sports

IOC bills sexist remarks by Tokyo 2020 chief Mori ‘absolutely inappropriate’

Madrid, Feb 9 (efe-epa).- The International Olympic Committee on Tuesday slammed sexist remarks made by the head of the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee Yoshiro Mori last week as “absolutely inappropriate.”

The sports community “can rest assured that the IOC will continue to deliver on its commitment to gender equality, inclusivity, solidarity and non-discrimination,” the committee said in a statement six days after Mori’s comments.

During a Japanese Olympic Committee meeting to discuss doubling the female members to 40% representation, Mori said: “If we are going to have more women directors, as someone has remarked, then meetings go on for a long time unless we restrict the comments.”

The comments, which raised a laugh during the meeting, then drew criticism, leading Mori to apologize, although he ruled out the possibility of stepping down.

Hundreds of Olympic volunteers resigned in the wake of the controversy. The organizing committee is to hold a meeting later this week to address the issue.

The IOC said “inclusion, diversity and gender equality are integral components” of its work.

“The recent comments of Tokyo 2020 President Mori were absolutely inappropriate and in contradiction to the IOC’s commitments and the reforms of its Olympic Agenda 2020,” it added. EFE-EPA

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