German Olympic cycling coach SACKED after saying ‘get the camel drivers’ at rider to catch Algeria and Eritrea athletes
A GERMAN Olympic coach has been sacked after urging one of his athletes to 'catch the camel drivers' when referring to Algerian and Eritrean competitors.
Patrick Moster was caught on live TV shouting the remark at German rider Nikias Arndt.
And the incident has now cost him his job as a decision was announced on Thursday morning.
The German Olympic team issued a statement on Twitter which read: "The head of the @TeamD at the Olympic Games in Tokyo decided on Thursday that Patrick Moster will no longer perform his duties as part of the cycling team in Team D[eutschland] and will leave for Germany in the near future."
After being caught on camera, Moster had swiftly released an apology for his earlier comments.
He said: "In the heat of the moment and with the overall burden we have here at the moment, I have missed my choice of words.
"I am so sorry, I can only sincerely apologise. I didn't want to disrespect anyone."
Immediately after Moster's remarks, German commentator Nass said: "If I heard that correctly he said ‘get the camel drivers!’ Something like that has no place in sport.
"This is absolutely underground. Sorry, I can’t think of anything…that is unworthy."
Reacting to Moster's controversial comments, President of the Germany Olympic Committee, Alfons Hormann added: "Team Germany stands for adherence to the Olympic values of respect, fair play and tolerance and lives them in all of their sporting competitions.
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"It is important that Patrick Moster apologised immediately after the competition. We will seek a personal conversation with him today and deal with the situation."
Arndt went on to finish 19th out of 39 riders in the men's time trial event, which was won by Slovenian Primoz Roglic.
Germany's best finisher was Maximilian Schachmann who placed 15th on the Fuji Speedway circuit.
The Netherlands' Tom Dumoulin picked up the silver medal, with Australian Rohan Dennis taking bronze.
Great Britain's Geraint Thomas finished in 12th place as he valiantly fought his way around the course after crashing in the road race just four days earlier.
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