Feb 19, 2021
The final edition of the Japan Rugby Top League kicks off Saturday with a plethora of world superstars on show and plenty to play for as the sport looks to make the transition from a corporate-run entity to a more professional competition from 2022.
Beginning next year, the top 25 teams in the nation 16 from the Top League and nine Top Challenge League sides will play in a new three-tier competition, and this year’s results will play a major role in determining which teams enter which division.
The season was originally slated to begin Jan. 16 but was postponed after multiple teams suffered COVID-19 outbreaks.
Japan Olympic chief resigns over sexism But did he have to go? spectator.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from spectator.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Updated: February 12, 2021, 12:06 pm
Yoshiro Mori is stepping down (Kim Kyung-hoon/AP)
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The beleaguered Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games were plunged into a fresh crisis on Friday following the resignation of the president of the Tokyo organising committee, Yoshiro Mori.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at the circumstances behind Mori’s departure and assesses its potential impact on the build-up to the delayed Games.
Tokyo 2020 Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori resigns over sexist comments Toggle share menu
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Tokyo 2020 Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori resigns over sexist comments
Yoshiro Mori, the president of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee, speaks at a news conference in Tokyo Thursday, Feb 4, 2021. (Photo: Kim Kyung-hoon/Pool Photo via AP)
12 Feb 2021 02:26PM (Updated:
12 Feb 2021 03:16PM) Share this content
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TOKYO: Tokyo 2020 Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori resigned on Friday (Feb 12) after making sexist comments that caused an international outcry with less than six months until the virus-postponed Games. My inappropriate statement has caused a lot of chaos . I wish to resign as president as of today, he told a meeting of Tokyo 2020 s council and executive board called to discuss his remarks.
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Mori broke the news of his resignation on Friday during a meeting of the Tokyo 2020 executive board.
According to the former Japanese prime minister, the measure became imperative to avoid damaging the body’s reputation.
“My inappropriate remarks have caused chaos, and I would like to apologise to express my deepest apologies to the members of the council and executive board, as well as the entire community,” he said.
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“The important thing is that the Olympic Games are held in July. If I am going to be [an obstacle] to their delivery by remaining in my position, then that is something we should avoid.