WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Rick Scott released the below statement on President Joe Biden’s announcement of a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games. For months, Senator Scott has been requesting a meeting with President Biden to discuss the horrific human rights atrocities occurring across Communist China and the Senator’s continued calls for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to select a new site for the 2022 Winter Olympics Games. Those requests have been met with total silence from President Biden. Last month, Senator Scott slammed reports that Biden was considering a diplomatic boycott and reiterated his call for Biden to outline his plan to protect the safety and personal information of American athletes.

Senator Rick Scott said, “President Biden had the chance to actually stand up to Beijing’s genocide and human rights abuses, but again, he has chosen appeasement and weakness over strength and resolve. Time and time again, Biden does the bare minimum when it comes to dealing with China and it’s absolutely unacceptable. Now, the Biden administration is going to engage in a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Olympic Games, distracting from the fact that Biden has spent months ignoring calls from me, human rights groups and others to demand that the International Olympic Committee to move the Games to a country that actually respects human rights. Biden’s weak choice for a diplomatic boycott also does NOTHING to ensure the safety of American athletes who will undoubtedly be targets for Communist China to surveil and steal data and personal information.

“As a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, I am calling on the Department of Homeland Security to explain to the Committee what they are doing to ensure athletes are protected while traveling to Beijing. Their safety and security cannot be put in jeopardy.”

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