WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Rick Scott released the below statement following a speech by International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach, who claimed that “boycotts and discrimination because of political background or nationality are once again a real danger” and warned about what he called “the growing misuse of sport for political purposes.” For nearly a year, Senator Scott has been urging the Committee to reconsider its decision to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in Communist China as General Secretary Xi Jinping commits genocide against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang and restricts the human rights of Hong Kongers.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Uyghur prisoners in Communist China are being rounded up, blindfolded, shaved and loaded onto trains to be taken to concentration camps, and all IOC President Bach is concerned about is his claim that people are using sports for political purposes. This is nonsense and reveals a shameful disregard for the victims of General Secretary Xi and the Chinese Communist Party’s crimes.

“Beijing is committing genocide against the Uyghurs simply because of their religious beliefs and is cracking down on the human rights of Hong Kongers. The world must unite against this horrific injustice. This isn’t about politics or a boycott. It’s about basic human rights. The IOC should find a new home for the 2022 Olympic Games, and if Bach continues to refuse to acknowledge Communist China’s human rights abuses, then the IOC should find a president who does.”

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