Seiko Hashimoto selected to replace Yoshiro Mori as Tokyo Olympics Committee President

Seiko Hashimoto has been named as the new president of the Tokyo Olympics organizing committee, replacing Yoshiro Mori, who resigned last week after making sexist comments.

Hashimoto has a long history with the Olympics as an athlete, as she has participated in seven Olympics, three summer Olympics in cycling and four winter Olympics in speedskating. She has the most "multiseason" appearances in Olympics history, according to historian Bill Mallon, and the 56-year-old won a bronze medal in 1992 for speedskating.

"Now I'm here to return what I owe as an athlete and to return back what I received,'' she told the board.

Mori, who previously held the position, stepped down after facing criticism for comments he made regarding women being too talkative and competitive during meetings. The 83-year-old made these statements after being asked about the lack of women in the Olympic organizing committee and many felt he resorted to harmful gender stereotypes rather than take ownership of the committee's lack of female representation.

Hashimoto, who was previously the Olympic minister in the cabinet of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, acknowledged that she would need to take steps to battle gender inequality in her new role, though she did not get into specifics.

"As the background to my selection, I understand that there is a gender-parity-related factor,'' she said.