By Khaleda Rahman
National Correspondent
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German cycling coach Patrick Moster has been sent home from the Tokyo Olympics after making racist comments during Wednesday's men's road time trial.
Moster was caught on German television using derogatory language as he urged on Germany's Nikias Arndt as he rode behind Eritrea's Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier and Algeria's Azzedine Lagab.
Moster, who has been the sports director of Germany's cycling team since 2012, apologized for his remarks after the race on Wednesday.
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"In the heat of the moment and with the overall burden that we have here at the moment, my choice of words was wrong," the 54-year-old said, according to the BBC. "I am sorry, I'm so sorry, I can only sincerely apologize. I didn't mean to discredit anyone."
But in a statement on Thursday, the German Olympic Sports Confederation, known as the DOSB, said Moster "will no longer carry out his duties" in Tokyo and will soon leave for Germany.
"We remain convinced that his public apology for the racist remarks he made yesterday is sincere," DOSB President Alfons Hörmann said.
However, he said team leadership ruled that Moster had "violated the Olympic values."
"Fair play, respect and tolerance are non-negotiable for Team D," Hörmann added.
Moster's dismissal came after a furious backlash and calls for him to resign.
"We hereby call for the immediate resignation of Patrick Moster," Team Africa Rising, an organization seeking to grow the sport of cycling on the continent, tweeted.
Lagab posted a tweet referencing Moster's remarks, writing: "Well, There is no camel race in #olympics that's why I came to cycling. At least I was there in #Tokyo2020."
Arndt also took to Twitter to condemn the language used by his coach.
"I am appalled by the incident at today's Olympic time trial and would like to distance myself clearly from the statements of the sporting director! Such words are not acceptable," he tweeted. "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!"
The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the cycling world's governing body, released a statement on Wednesday saying it "deeply regrets" Moster's words, but did not elaborate on whether it would take any action against him.
"This remark goes against the value the UCI represents, promotes and defends," the statement added. "There is no place for racism in sport, and the UCI continues its commitment to eradicating all forms of discrimination from cycling and encouraging diversity and equality."
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Update 7/29/21 at 4.53 a.m. This article has been updated with background information.
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