About 1,000 Olympics volunteers quit this month in wake of furor over president

FILE PHOTO: The Olympic rings are illuminated in front of the National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan January 22, 2021. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo

TOKYO (Reuters) - About 1,000 Olympics volunteers have quit over the past month, organisers said, during which time organising committee president Yoshiro Mori quit due to sexist remarks and a new president was chosen to replace him.

Volunteers are the backbone of any Games, performing everything from guiding people to venues, translating and driving visitors around. A significant drop in their numbers could be another hurdle for Tokyo 2020, already hit by an unprecedented year-long postponement and a lack of public support fuelled by concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.