Archive · 5 Oct 2026
Probe Finds BAPS Made No Explicit Request to Exclude Women
An investigation examined what happened when a group from BAPS visited the Eiffel Tower.
It found no explicit request from BAPS to exclude women workers.
The original message was about avoiding physical contact between religious figures and women.
As the message passed between managers, it was changed and misunderstood.
Some female workers were temporarily moved or replaced.
Tower employees protested, and the Eiffel Tower closed for one day.
The tower operator said operational failures led to the workers being sidelined.
Its director general said he did not order their removal and is set to leave by the end of 2026.
A Paris investigation found no explicit BAPS request to exclude women from the Eiffel Tower visitor route.
The original instruction concerned avoiding physical contact between religious figures and women, but the message was distorted within tower management.
Some female employees were temporarily moved or replaced during the delegation’s September 5 visit.
CGT-represented employees protested, leading to a one-day Eiffel Tower closure on September 7.
SETE described operational failures as unacceptable; its director general Patrick Branco Ruivo denied ordering women’s removal and is set to leave by the end of 2026.
- Who
- BAPS, Eiffel Tower employees represented by the CGT union, and the tower operator SETE.
- What
- An investigation found no explicit BAPS request to exclude women, but found that internal communication failures led female employees to be moved or replaced.
- When
- The delegation visited on September 5; employees struck and the tower closed on September 7.
- Where
- The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.
- Why
- A request about avoiding physical contact was distorted as it passed through tower management.
BAPS and Ruivo’s Statements
Employees’ Experience and Operator Findings
Whether BAPS requested women’s exclusion
BAPS and Ruivo’s Statements
BAPS said it never asked for female employees to be hidden, removed or excluded; the investigation found no explicit request.
Employees’ Experience and Operator Findings
Female employees were reportedly sidelined, replaced or told to keep away from some areas during the visit.
Responsibility for staff being moved
BAPS and Ruivo’s Statements
Ruivo said he did not instruct staff to remove or replace women.
Employees’ Experience and Operator Findings
The investigation attributed the incident to distorted internal communication and operational failures at SETE.
- Delegation
- Nearly 100 people associated with BAPS visited the Eiffel Tower.
- Visit date
- September 5.
- Investigation finding
- The General Inspectorate of the City of Paris found no explicit request from BAPS to exclude women along the visitor route.
- Original communication
- It concerned avoiding physical contact between religious figures and women.
- Staff impact
- Some female employees were temporarily moved from their posts or replaced.
- Strike and closure
- A staff strike led to a one-day Eiffel Tower closure on September 7.
- SETE leadership
- Patrick Branco Ruivo is set to leave his director general role by the end of 2026.
Sources
'Truth Prevailed': BAPS Cleared in Eiffel Tower Controversy
Probe Confirms BAPS Didn't Ask Eiffel Tower to Remove Women During Visit
Eiffel Tower BAPS controversy: Probe finds message was distorted, no explicit request to exclude women
Eiffel Tower Controversy Takes A Turn: BAPS Says Probe Confirms It Did Not Ask For Exclusion of Women Staff
BAPS says probe found no request to exclude women during Eiffel Tower visit
