(ATR) Around the Rings has learned that the IOC ethics commission has contacted Shamil Tarpischev following his sexist remarks about U.S. tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams.
The IOC ethics commission is keen to hear an explanation from the Russian IOC member after he called Serena Williams "one of the Williams brothers" on a Russian television show in October. He also said the sisters were "scary" to look at.
The world No.1 women’s tennis player hit back, branding the remark as "sexist," "racist" and "bullying."
The IOC ethics commission has to decide whether to launch disciplinary proceedings against Tarpischev. He’s been an IOC member since 1994.
The 66-year-old head of the Russian Tennis Federation apologized but has been punished with a one-year ban by the Women's Tennis Association and fined $25,000.
Serena Williams confirmed Thursday that she and her sister Venus had received a written apology from Tarpischev.
"He has reached out to apologize to both myself and my sister," she was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency at the WTA Finals in Singapore.
Tarpischev has been a member of the Russian Olympic Committee’s executive committee for 20 years.
Reported by Mark Bisson
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