Tokyo Olympics leader, who has been criticized for sexist comments about women, does not resign

Mori’s comments that women talked too much during meetings have become another headache for Olympics organizers facing public concern over the Games, which were postponed for years last year in the wake of the pandemic. of COVID-19.

Former Prime Minister Mori drew even more criticism during an urgent press conference in which she had to apologize for admitting that she “doesn’t talk much to women.”

Although she said her comments were inappropriate, Mori, 83, argued and claimed to have heard complaints that the women had been talking for a long time.

According to the Asahi Shimbun daily, Mori said Wednesday that “board meetings with a large number of women take a long time.”

“When the number of female executives increases, if their speaking time is not limited to a certain extent, it is difficult for them to finish [kalbėti]”It’s annoying,” said Mori, famous for his tactless remarks.

“What I said … goes against the spirit of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and I admit it was inappropriate,” he said Thursday. – Well, I’ll think about it. I would also like to withdraw my words. I would like to apologize to everyone who was offended. “

However, she added that she “did not think of quitting” and claimed that in her comments she had responded to “often heard” comments from others that women had talked for too long.

“I haven’t talked to women much lately, so I can’t tell,” he added.

Mori’s comments provoked an angry reaction in Japan. Phrases such as “almost”, “misogyny” and “we demand the resignation of Yoshiro Mori” have spread on Twitter.

Earlier on Thursday, Mori told a newspaper that his wife had “berated” him well for comments made to members of the Japan Olympic Committee (JOK), some of whom apparently reacted with laughter.

Last year, JOK decided to target a 40% board. women, but in November there were five women among its 24 members.

“We have about seven women on the organizing committee, but they all understand where they are,” Mori told JOK members.

“Please stop,” Renho, a prominent Japanese opposition politician, wrote on Twitter. “It’s a shame,” he added.

Although Japan is highly rated by many international indicators, it consistently lags behind in terms of promoting gender equality. In the World Economic Forum’s 2020 report on gender equality, Japan was ranked 121st on the list of 153 countries surveyed.

Mori has made controversial comments in the past and, earlier this week, caused a sensation by announcing that the Tokyo Olympics would be held this summer, “no matter how the coronavirus develops.”

At the time, polls show about 80 percent. the Japanese are opposed to the organization of this year’s Olympic Games, and several Japanese prefectures are in a declared state of emergency due to coronavirus.

More recently, another scandal has broken out in Greece over the sexual exploitation of the Olympian. Speaking of which, Olympic champion Sofia Bekatorou spoke about an unidentified sports official from the Greek Sailing Federation.

However, the country’s sailing federation has vehemently denied the allegations, saying that Bekatorou never complained and asked for the man to be named “because he had already taken the initiative to report the unpleasant incident after so many years.”

The athlete’s courage led her other colleagues to speak out about similar incidents by default, which shook the #Metoo movement in Greece. The leader of this country expressed his admiration for the Olympic champion who broke the silence and shocked not only the sport but the entire society.

At the age of 21, Bekatorou went abroad with the rest of the Greek sailing team in 1998 to win a qualifying ticket for the Sydney Olympics. The team was also joined by a sports official from the federation, who celebrated the qualification they won together.

Now, a 43-year-old mother of two said the person had been sexually abused in a hotel room for sports officials.

Mr. Bekatorou won two Olympic medals and several gold medals at the World Championships. She had the honor of carrying the Greek flag during the opening ceremony of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. However, the incident accompanied her throughout her career.

The athlete was silent because she wanted to continue her career, and “it took many years of therapy,” according to her, so that he could speak about it in public and the person no longer received any position in a sports organization.

Aristeidis Adamopoulos resigned at the same time as vice president of the Greek Sailing Federation, but denies any involvement in the Olympic champion incident, a move motivated by a desire to protect the reputation of the Federation and the Greek Olympic Committee.