- Title: Tokyo venue under fire for barring female members
- Date: 24th January 2017
- Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (JANUARY 24, 2017) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** MEMBERS OF JAPAN GOLF COUNCIL TAKING SEATS IN NEWS CONFERENCE CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) JAPAN GOLF COUNCIL CHAIRWOMAN, EIKO OHYA, SAYING: "Kasumigaseki is an exclusively high-class private club, and normal people are not able to play there unless they are introduced by a full member. In addition, as mentioned by the moderator, women are not able to become full regular members of the club, and they are also not permitted to play on Sunday; which means they cannot also be involved in management decisions and operations of the club." NEWS CONFERENCE UNDERWAY (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) JAPAN GOLF COUNCIL VICE CHAIRMAN, MASAYUKI TAMAKI, SAYING: "I think the selection process of the venue seems rather strange. The fact that a club which does not allow women as full regular members was selected for Olympics is also difficult to understand." NEWS CONFERENCE UNDERWAY (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) JAPAN GOLF COUNCIL CHAIRWOMAN, EIKO OHYA, SAYING: "When we consider that environmental issues are of great concern around the world today, the fact that a golf course was created on what was formally a rubbish dump is indeed an example that Japan can be proud to the world. Thus, in regards to the legacy point of view, I'm very certain that Wakasu is indeed superior in this regard." CONFERENCE ENDS AND AUDIENCE CLAPPING
- Embargoed: 7th February 2017 09:45
- Keywords: Japan Tokyo 2020 golf Olympics Kasumigaseki Country Club membership Japan Golf Council
- Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
- City: TOKYO, JAPAN
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Olympics,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA00160FVE4F
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Tokyo 2020 Games organisers are facing calls to move the venue for the Olympics golf competition because the selected country club does not allow women to become regular members.
The Japan Golf Council said on Tuesday (January 24) that it had sent a letter to International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach demanding the tournament be moved from the Kasumigaseki Country Club, a private club about 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Tokyo.
The club, one of the oldest private clubs in Japan which hosted various national competitions, bars women from becoming full members and from playing on Sundays. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has criticised the policy last week.
"Kasumigaseki is an exclusively high-class private club, and normal people are not able to play there unless they are introduced by a full member. In addition, as mentioned by the moderator, women are not able to become full regular members of the club, and they are also not permitted to play on Sunday; which means they cannot also be involved in management decisions and operations of the club," Eiko Ohya, council chairwoman said in a news conference held in Foreign Press Club Japan on Tuesday.
The Japan Golf Council said it wanted the venue to be moved to Wakasu Golf Links, which had originally been proposed by Tokyo organisers before they opted for Kasumigaseki during the bidding process.
Wakasu is a public course on Tokyo Bay and is located much closer to the planned athlete's village.
"I think the selection process of the venue seems rather strange. The fact that a club which does not allow women as full regular members was selected for Olympics is also difficult to understand," vice chairman of the council, Masayuki Tamaki said.
The council also said Wakasu, built on a site that was formally a rubbish dump, is a better option in terms of legacy.
"When we consider that environmental issues are of great concern around the world today, the fact that a golf course was created on what was formally a rubbish dump is indeed a sample that Japan can be proud to the world. Thus, in regards to the legacy point of view, I'm very certain that Wakasu is indeed superior in this regards," Ohya said.
The uproar adds to a list of troubles for Tokyo 2020 organisers, who had recently been considering moving three other venues because of soaring costs before sticking to their planned locations at a lower price tag.
In a statement, the Tokyo 2020 organising committee noted that Kasumigaseki fully met the requirements for hosting Olympic-level golf competitions.
But the committee added that it "would continue studying the club owner's policy on the membership eligibility and responses to the public discussion." - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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