A cycling coach has been sent home after using a racial slur at the Tokyo Olympics.
According to Sky Sports, sporting director of the German Cycling Federation, Patrick Moster has been suspended by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) after being caught using racially derogatory language on Wednesday, July 28.
Speaking to German cyclist Nikias Arndt, Moster had urged him to catch up to Eritrean competitors Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier, and Algerian rider Azzedine Lagab - referring to both as "camel drivers."
Moster's remarks subsequently provoked widespread outrage and condemnation on social media, with Lagab himself tweeting: "Well, There is no camel race in #olympics that’s why I came to cycling. At least I was there in #Tokyo2020. [sic]"
Outraged viewers rushed to Twitter to share their disgust at the comments:
Per the above publication, a UCI spokesperson stated that its Disciplinary Commission had "decided to provisionally suspend [...] Patrick Moster following his inappropriate words during the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 men's individual time trial."
They continued: "This decision is without prejudice to the final decision of the UCI Disciplinary Commission or any action that may be taken by Mr. Moster's National Federation, the Bund Deutscher Radfahrer.
"The UCI condemns all forms of racist and discriminatory behavior and strives to ensure integrity, diversity, and equality in cycling."
NPR reports that Moster has since apologized for his remarks, stating publically: "In the heat of the moment and with the overall burden that we have here at the moment, my choice of words was not appropriate.
"I am extremely sorry and can only offer my sincere apologies."
Per Metro, Arndt himself has also expressed personal dismay over the incident, writing on Twitter: "‘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 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!"
This incident comes not long after an Olympic commentator was fired for making a racist remark on television about the South Korean table tennis team.
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