Golf club not allowing women members may cost it 2020 Tokyo Olympics event – CBSSports.com

The perfect storm of golf controversy is converging on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The club where golf is supposed to be played in Japan three years from now does not allow women members and might not for the foreseeable future.

Here is Reuters with a report out of Tokyo this week.

The Kasumigaseki Country Club, which is set to host golf for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, failed to reach a decision about ending a ban on women as full members on Tuesday, with the head of its board of directors calling the situation “a nuisance.”

What year is this again? The club will apparently allow women to play during the week but not on Sundays. They also cannot become full members. International Golf Federation vice president Ty Votaw said this decision could cost the club the Olympics.

“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,” Votaw told Golf.com. “If the Club does not change its rules, then we cannot support holding the events at this venue.”

That is understandable given that, (a) it’s 2017, and (b) the club will host competitions for both men and women in 2020.

This seems like it should be a pretty straightforward decision for Kasumigaseki Country Club, but apparently it is not. According to Reuters, the club needs all 15 members of its board to vote unanimously.