Eiffel Tower chief to quit after women staff replaced by men during BAPS delegation visit

Patrick Branco Ruivo, who has served as director general of the Paris landmark since 2018, will leave his position at the end of the year, the company that operates the Eiffel Tower, SETE, said in a statement, according to the BBC.

An internal investigation found “operational flaws and shortcomings” in the organisation of the visit, which resulted in the “unacceptable” removal of female employees, the company said.

The female staff members were replaced by male colleagues during a recent visit by around 100 people linked to the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a global organisation within the Swaminarayan tradition.

The incident sparked strong criticism from Eiffel Tower employees, who went on strike, leading to the temporary closure of the landmark for a day.

BAPS denies gender-based request

BAPS said it had coordinated with Eiffel Tower management ahead of the visit to minimise disruption to staff and other visitors.

In a statement, the organisation said the coordination “was never, at any point, intended as a request rooted in gender” and rejected suggestions that the delegation had sought the replacement of female employees.

BAPS said it remained committed to “equality, mutual respect, and service to all, regardless of gender, background, or belief.”

The organisation also apologised to anyone who may have been “hurt or inconvenienced” by the situation.

The circumstances surrounding the decision to replace the female employees remain the subject of scrutiny following the internal investigation and subsequent staff protest.