(ATR) The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Organizing Committee have been forced to regroup after its president Yoshiro Mori resigned on Friday following a public backlash to sexist remarks he made last week.
While the capital city and hosts of the hotly-debated upcoming Olympiad Tokyo confirmed 307 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, Mori, 83, was pressured to resign after over 100,000 people signed a petition calling for his resignation.
"My inappropriate statement has caused a lot of chaos," said Mori before announcing his resignation.
The organizers of the Tokyo Olympics were faced with further turmoil after Mori’s anticipated replacement Saburo Kawabuchi, 84, a former Japan Football Association President and football player, rejected the offer to replace his country’s controversial former Prime Minister.
With 160 days until the Olympics, the organizing committee, who have been wrestling with a domestic battle to try to win favor with a public who have lost interest and faith in a safe Olympics, now face a new crisis.
As the country’s COVID-19 cases are continuing to decrease during their extended state of emergency they now have the task of replacing Mori with a new figure at a time when public interest for the Games is at an all-time low.
A search is now underway for a new Tokyo 2020 president as the Japanese government is still being consumed by the day-to-day challenge of controlling the virus with hospital beds and facilities in Tokyo and across the country.
The IOC tried to draw a line under the matter earlier this week with a statement that declared that while Mori had apologized they did not condone his words, which were not becoming of the Olympic values and movement, but fell short of calling for his resignation.
A number of sponsors including Toyota were critical of Mori’s comments and ultimately he paid for his ill-advised and sexist remarks.
IOC President Thomas Bach said: "The IOC fully respects President Mori’s decision to step down and understands his reasons for doing so.
"At the same time, we would like to thank him for his outstanding contribution to the organization of the postponed Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 over the course of the past years."
"Among his many accomplishments, President Mori helped to make Tokyo the best-ever prepared Olympic city. The IOC will continue working hand-in-hand with his successor to deliver a safe and secure Games."
Written by Mark Pickering in Tokyo
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