Tokyo Olympics: German cycling coach Patrick Moster faces calls to resign for racist slur
Patrick Moster caught on camera using offensive phrases about Eritrean and Algerian cyclists during time trial on Wednesday; German coach apologised afterwards but faces calls to resign from his position
Last Updated: 29/07/21 2:48pm
German cycling coach Patrick Moster was facing calls to resign a day after apologising for using racist language to describe rival athletes during the Olympic time trial in Fuji.
Moster was caught on camera using derogatory language when urging on German rider Nikias Arndt as he rode behind Eritrea's Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier and Algeria's Azzedine Lagab on the road, with the comments clearly audible on German station ARD's broadcast of the race on Wednesday.
Former rider Moster, who has been a sports director with the German team since 2012, apologised afterwards. The German Olympic Federation said on Thursday it had ordered the 54-year-old to return home from the Games.
"The team leadership at the Olympic Games in Tokyo has decided that Patrick Moster cannot continue his work as national team leader Cycling and will return to Germany," the team said in a statement.
The IOC said in a statement: "The IOC contacted the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) this morning and inquired about the issue around the Sports Director of the German Cycling Federation.
"We welcome the swift reaction of DOSB not to let him continue in his role and asking him to leave Tokyo to return back to Germany. Comments such as these have no place at the Olympic Games."
German cyclist Rick Zabel, who is not competing at the Olympics, posted on Instagram to condemn Moster's language while asking why nothing more had yet been done.
"Even if I'm not at the Olympic Games myself, I'm ashamed of the statements," Zabel wrote. "Personally, I cannot understand that the (German cycling federation) or (Olympic federation) did not take immediate action after this behaviour.
"If you want to represent Olympic values and anti-racism campaigns in a credible way, such an incident should not be tolerated."
Team Africa Rising, an organisation which is seeking to develop cycling across Africa and create a number of professional teams based on the continent, issued a statement saying that Moster must leave his post.
In a tweet, the organisation wrote: "We call for the immediate and unconditional resignation of #PatrickMoster #GermanyCycling This is completely unacceptable and an apology is not enough".
Lagab tweeted his own response to the derogatory language used to describe him, writing on Twitter: "Well, There is no camel race in #olympics that's why I came to cycling. At least I was there in #Tokyo2020".
Arndt also posted to condemn the words used by his coach.
"I am appalled by the incidents at today's Olympic time trial and would like to distance myself clearly from the statements of the sporting director!" the 29-year-old wrote.
"Such words are not acceptable. The Olympics and cycling stand for tolerance, respect and fairness. I represent these values 100% and take my hat off to all the great athletes who have come from all over the world here in Tokyo!"
Last night, cycling's world governing body the UCI issued a statement saying it "deeply regrets" Moster's words, though it did not indicate if it would seek to take action of its own.
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