Cycling Official Sent Home for Using Racial Slur

Germany's cycling director has been sent home from the Olympics in disgrace for using a racial slur during the men's time trial. Patrick Moster, sports director for the German Cycling Federation, was heard repeatedly yelling "Get the camel drivers!" at German rider Nikias Arndt as he tried to catch up with Algeria's Azzedine Lagab and Eritrea's Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier, the Guardian reports. His remarks were broadcast live on television. "Words fail me," said commentator Florian Nass on German station ARD. "Something like that has no place in sport." Ardnt said he was "appalled" by the coach's remarks.

Moster later apologized, saying, "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," per Deutsche Welle. Germany's Olympic Federation said his apology seemed sincere, but he had "violated Olympic values" with the racist remarks. "Fair play, respect, and tolerance are not negotiable for Team Germany," the federation said in a statement. Lagab, the Algerian cyclist, tweeted: "Well, There is no camel race in #olympics, that's why I came to cycling. At least I was there in #Tokyo2020." (More Tokyo Olympics stories.)