The Algerian cyclist Azzedine Lagab responded to the racist insult by the German cycling sports director Patrick Moster. “Well, there is no camel race at the Olympics, so I go cycling. At least I was there in Tokyo, ”Lagab wrote on Twitter.
In addition, Lagab commented on a contribution by Deutschlandfunk, in which Moster’s apology, according to which he had misused his wording in the heat of the moment, was quoted. Lagab wrote about it: “Nothing makes you say something like that. An excuse as bad as the facts. “
In the Olympic individual time trial, Moster caused a scandal when he cheered on Nikias Arndt from Cologne with racist words to catch up with Lagab, who was driving in front of him. Moster had apologized for his choice of words, and there had been a clarifying discussion with the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB). There have been no further consequences so far, after the games there should be another conversation. Arndt distanced himself from the statements of the sports director.
Now professional cyclist Rick Zabel, who does not start at the Olympics, publicly condemned Moster’s defamation. “On the one hand, I understand all athletes who say nothing about it because they are afraid of being in the line of fire if they express their opinion or are simply no longer nominated for a European Championship, World Cup or Olympics,” wrote Zabel on Instagram. “Even if I’m not at the Olympic Games myself, I’m ashamed of the statements.”
Zabel criticized the fact that there was only a “succinct excuse” after the race. “Personally, I cannot understand that the BDR or DOSB did not take immediate consequences after this behavior.” If one wanted to represent Olympic values and anti-racism campaigns in a sustainable manner, such an incident should not be tolerated.
