WESPY Awards still being held at Caboto Club despite men-only policy
Keynote speaker Olympic champion gymnast Nadia Comaneci aware of men-only members policy
Organizers of the WESPY Awards say the sports event will go ahead as planned at the Caboto Club, despite public backlash to the club's men-only membership policy.
This year's keynote speaker Olympic champion gymnast Nadia Comaneci has been informed of the club's policy and the news reports around it, according to a press release.
Founder and CEO of the WESPY Awards Domenic Papa said in the release that Comaneci is committed to the event and connecting to the athletes who will be attending.
This will be the 12th time the awards will be held at the Caboto Club, which is also a sponsor of the WESPYs.
Papa will be meeting with Caboto Club management after the completion of this year's event to review the club's policies.
More than 300 members of the Caboto Club met about the men-only policy on Sunday for a "tense debate" that lasted more than two hours.
"We will not kowtow to politicians or community leaders to tell us that we have to change because they want us to change. That's not going to happen," said Ron Moro, general manager of the club.
"We're going to change when we're ready to change and we're going to do it for the right reasons."