A German cycling coach is being sent home from the Tokyo Olympics after he was caught on camera making racist remarks about athletes from African nations.
The German Olympic Sports Confederation on Thursday said Patrick Moster, sporting director of the German Cycling Federation, “violated Olympic values” with his remarks.
Moster was cheering on German rider Nikias Arndt, who was trailing Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier of Eritrea and Azzedine Lagab of Algeria during a time trial, when he used a racial slur.
“Get the camel drivers!” Moster shouted multiple times to Arndt, Deutsche Welle reported.
He later apologized for the comments.
“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,” Moster said to Germany news agency DPA. “I am extremely sorry and can only offer my sincere apologies. I didn’t want to offend anyone.”
Arndt distanced himself from Moster, saying he was “appalled” by the coach’s comments.
“Such words are not acceptable,” Arndt wrote in a statement, according to Deutsche Welle.
“The Olympics and cycling stand for tolerance, respect and fairness,” the cyclist added. “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.”
Deutsche Welle reported that commentator Florian Nass expressed shock when hearing the remarks in real time.
“If I’ve really understood what he was shouting, that was totally wrong,” Nass said. “Words fail me. Something like that has no place in sport.”