Fox News has removed a column from its website that condemned the diversity of the US Olympic team and drew complaints from human rights groups.
The article was written by John Moody, an executive vice president and executive editor, whom Variety says has long-been recognised as one of the most senior and influential editorial staffers at Fox News.
"Unless it's changed overnight, the motto of the Olympics, since 1894, has been 'Faster, Higher, Stronger'," Moody wrote.
"It appears the US Olympic Committee would like to change that to 'Darker, Gayer, Different'. If your goal is to win medals, that won't work."
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The 2018 US Winter Olympics team includes more African American and Asian American athletes than in previous years, as well as the first two openly gay male athletes to compete for the country in the winter squad.
While many have celebrated the diversity, the Fox News piece shared a negative view similar to that expressed by white-supremacist publishers including Stormfront.
"John Moody's column does not reflect the views or values of Fox News, and has been removed," the network said.
Among those complaining about the column were prominent advocacy GLAAD, the US National Center for Gay and Lesbian Rights, and the Human Rights Campaign.
Newshub.
