The sporting director of the German cycling federation stunned German broadcasters after he was caught on camera referring to Algerian and Eritrean Olympic cyclists as “camel drivers.” Patrick Moster was forced to apologize after being heard rooting for his team members with the chant, “Get the camel drivers, get the camel drivers, come on,” as his rider Nikias Arndt closed in on Algeria’s Azzedine Lagab and Eritrea’s Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier during time trials Wednesday. The German television sports commentator Florian Nass called Moster’s comments “totally wrong,” adding, “Words fail me. Something like that has no place in sport.” Moster claimed his comments were made “in the heat of the moment” and apologized. “In the heat of the moment and with the overall burden that we have here at the moment, my choice of words was not appropriate,” he said. “I am extremely sorry and can only offer my sincere apologies.”
