Kasumigaseki Country Club, which is set to host the men’s and women’s golf tournaments in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, has delayed a vote on ending its all-male membership policy. The vote stalled Tuesday, with the head of the club’s board of directors calling the situation a “nuisance.”
The 15-member board took up the subject in the first place after it came to light the club did not have female members and women were barred from playing on Sundays. Politicians pressured the club to change its membership policy, while the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee sent a letter to the club last week to appeal for the change.
The membership was clearly divided on the choice, but the entire board must agree to make the change. Ultimately, it seems the board does not fully believe a fundamental change in its membership policy is worth hosting the Olympic tournament.
“That this situation has developed is a nuisance for us, it’s really perplexing,” said Board chairman Kiichi Kimura, according to Reuters.
In the golf community, major governing bodies have increasingly shied away from venues which deny membership to any particular segment of the population, including women. Several of the game’s most important bodies have admitted their first female members in the last five years, with Masters home Augusta National Golf Club admitting its first two female members in 2012 and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews welcoming women in 2014 after 260 years of exclusion.
It’s through this lens that the International Golf Federation sees the Olympic tournaments as well, threatening to move the events to another club if the change is not made.
“The IGF has clearly stated to both Tokyo 2020 and Kasumigaseki C.C. our requirements that the golf competition be delivered according to the Olympic Charter,” said IGF vice-president Ty Votaw. “If the Club does not change its rules, then we cannot support holding the events at this venue.”
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
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