The chairman of the golf club that will host the 2020 Tokyo Olympics games is “baffled” by requests to the lift female membership ban that is currently in effect.
According to the Independent, Kasumigaseki Country Club in Saitama, north Tokyo, currently does not allow female members to join the private club. Whilst the club allows women to play as guests from Monday to Sunday, women are prevented from playing on the course on Sundays.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the governor of Tokyo, Yiriko Koike, called for the Kasumigaseki club to change its restrictions. Governor Koike said she felt “uncomfortable that women cannot become full members in the 21st century.”
Course chairman Kiichi Kimura reaffirmed the club’s stance against women and slammed the IOC and Japanese government for giving them the tournament without consulting the club. A club board meeting on Tuesday agreed to postpone a review into their membership policy.
“It’s extremely annoying the situation has evolved into what it is so quickly,” Mr Kimura told local media after the board meeting. “There was no decision and we will discuss it further.”
“We are baffled, that’s our situation right now. We agreed (to host the Olympic golf competitions) at their request, but we never made a bid (to host it).”
Organisers of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics have written to the club directly to express their concerns. Chief operating officer Yukihiko Nunomura said he believes the club “will move towards operating with gender equality in mind”.
