The president of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics organising committee, Yoshiro Mori, will resign over a sexist remark that sparked outrage, in Japan and abroad with his claims that women speak too much in meetings.
Multiple sources said Mori told officials of his wish to step down and intends to announce his resignation at a meeting of Games organisers on Friday.
Sources say Mori would be replaced by former Japan Football Association president and mayor of the Olympic village, Saburo Kawabuchi.
Yoshiro Mori, 83, said he would “explain his thoughts” at a meeting on Friday
“I cannot let this problem prolong any longer,” Mori said, and he again apologised for the remark.
Mori first retracted the comment about women at a hastily called news conference on February 4, acknowledging it was inappropriate and against the Olympic spirit.
But he declined, at that time, to resign.
If Mori does step down, it would the first time an Olympics organising committee president has not seen the job through to a Summer Games since the 2004 Athens Olympics.
