The head of the company that operates the Eiffel Tower is set to step down at the end of the year after female staff were excluded during a visit by a Hindu religious group in September.

An independent investigation found a series of failures surrounding the incident, which prompted Eiffel Tower staff to strike and drew criticism from French politicians.

What happened at the Eiffel Tower?

Patrick Branco Ruivo, director general of the Societe d’Exploitation de la tour Eiffel (SETE), will leave the position he has held since late 2018.

The company said an independent investigation into the September 5 visit had uncovered a series of operational failures that resulted in female employees being excluded.

It described the situation as ‘unacceptable’.

Management had instructed female employees not to come into contact with a delegation from Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a Hindu religious organisation.

The company initially acknowledged that withdrawing female staff from the tower’s third floor during the group’s visit had been a mistake.

What has the Hindu group said?

BAPS denied asking for female employees to be removed or hidden during the visit.

“The religious practices of our monks were explained to the Eiffel Tower’s management in advance. These are personal spiritual commitments, which our monks observe without seeking to impose them on others. They do not require women to be excluded from the places they visit,” BAPS said.

BAPS is an international religious and civic organisation within the Swaminarayan tradition of Hinduism. The delegation was in the region for celebrations connected with the inauguration of a traditional Hindu stone temple.

What happens now?

The incident led Eiffel Tower employees to strike on September 7, forcing the landmark to close for a day.

SETE chair Ariel Weil said the company would introduce measures and training programmes aimed at promoting gender equality.

The German account also says a separate protocol department will be established following the investigation.

The 330-metre (1,083-foot) Eiffel Tower attracts around seven million visitors annually.

DW