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hard of hearing and blind para - olympian competitive swimmer becca meyers recently took to twitter to share her disappointment in having to pull out of the games this year.
she stated "..am angry, i am disappointed, but most importantly, i am sad not to be representing my country.." she wrote earlier.
this follows the swimmer being told that she may not have her mother, who also acts as her personal care attendant, accommodated along with her as she travels and lodges to compete in the tokyo event.
see letter below:
disability advocate kris duquette, who competed former team usa events and also has muscular dystrophy said "it is a stain on the usopc's efforts to be inclusive and diverse." the professionals there did note however that the rules are being applied due to new co-vid protocols and restrictions on attendees. they have also stated that a para-pro care assistance was provided to team usa and that their professionals have over 27 years experience when dealing with the blind and deaf communities.
due to the uproar, u.s senate maggie hassan d-n-h even jumped in on the conversation, urging the tokyo committee to take a look into its rules, and ultimately make some adjustments. hassan sent a letter to the usopc reminding them that many disabled americans were already facing many hurdles when it came to athletics and it [could] set an example for the rest of the world [to adjust].
becca meyers, emphasized that she had been relying on her mother as a care providerfor a few years now and that the last minute changes were imposing. duquette also made the rationalization that much anxiety already comes with the pressures of the competition and travel, so having an attendant that a person knows and trusts is at the helm of keeping things well for the athletes because the personal attendee caters to their personal needs.
duquette ascertains that moments like these further prove that "disability is at the bottom when we think of diversity and inclusion," she said.
read more here