Director of the WTA tournament in Indian Wells Raymond Moore resigned – said the owner of the California event Larry Ellison. 69-year-old activist from South Africa aroused a lot of controversy his commentary on women’s tennis.
– If I were a tennis player, it’s every night klękałbym and thanked God for the birth of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, because they “keep” the sport – said Moore on Sunday evening after finals of the women’s and men’s competition in Indian Wells.
He remarked that the women’s tennis benefit greatly from the achievements of men’s struggles, and the players have a “very, very lucky” that was equal financial rewards.
There have been director of the California event also noted that he sees “very attractive prospect” for the WTA as an example. Canadian Eugenie Bouchard and Spaniard Garbine Muguruzy, which are “attractive both in terms of physical and sports.”
The comment provoked considerable outrage. Moore criticized, among others, leader of the world ranking American Serena Williams and legendary athlete from the United States Martina Navratilova of Czech origin. Activist from South Africa later apologized for his words, but did not escape the consequences.
Ellison in a statement published not only informed about the resignation of the director, but also tried to smooth over the matter.
– Nearly half a century ago, Billie Jean King began his historic fight for equal treatment of women and men in tennis. It’s still ongoing, multigenerational and progressive movement. I am proud of the fact that for 10 years our tournament and all the other events of the highest level of competition in the sport bonuses are the same for both sexes. All of us working at the tournament in Indian Wells, we promise that we will continue to work on it to make tennis a better sport for everyone – he stressed.
Moore was the director of the California competition since last year.
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