|
 Moore provoked outrage a day earlier when he said top-level
women's players rode "on the coattails of the men" and were "very,
very lucky" to have equal prize money.
The tennis world reacted strongly as world number one Serena
Williams and all-time great Martina Navratilova rebuffed the
statements and the ATP men's tour formally denounced them.
Tournament owner Larry Ellison revealed the departure with a
statement that both announced Moore's resignation and championed the
sport's efforts toward equality.
"Nearly half a century ago, Billie Jean King began her historic
campaign for the equal treatment of women in tennis," Ellison said.
"What followed is an ongoing, multi-generational, progressive
movement to treat women and men in sports equally.
 "I'm proud to say that it is now a decade long tradition at our
tournament at Indian Wells, and all the major tennis tournaments, to
pay equal prize money to both the women and the men."
Among his comments, the 69-year-old South African also highlighted
Canada's Eugenie Bouchard and Spaniard Garbine Muguruza as being
among the "very attractive prospects" on the WTA circuit, before
explaining that they were "physically attractive and competitively
attractive".
"If I was a lady player, I'd go down every night on my knees and
thank God that Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal were born, because they
have carried this sport," he said.
When reaction to his remarks flooded in, the former ATP Tour player
quickly offered an apology but the damage had already been done.
[to top of second column] |
Moore had only taken over as tournament director late last year when
Steve Simon resigned to become chief executive of the WTA Tour.
"I would like to personally thank all the great women athletes who
fought so hard for so many years in the pursuit of equal prize money
in professional tennis," Ellison added.
"All of us here at the BNP Paribas Open promise to continue working
with everyone to make tennis a better sport for everybody."
(Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by John O'Brien)
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