WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, following the U.S. State Department and world leaders again condemning the genocide of Uyghur Muslims in Communist China, Senator Rick Scott released the following statement calling on President Biden to stop ignoring Communist China’s horrific human rights abuses and finally join his call to move the 2022 Olympic Games out of Beijing and to a nation that respects human rights. It has been more than two months since Senator Scott requested a meeting with Biden to discuss the Senator’s continued calls for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to select a new site for the 2022 Winter Olympics Games. Last month, Senator Scott also called for President Biden to lead international efforts to relocate the 2022 Olympic Games to the United States.

Senator Rick Scott said, “It’s been more than two months since I asked President Biden to stand up for human rights and meet with me to discuss moving the Olympics out of Communist China. Biden’s response? Nothing. Total silence. General Secretary Xi is committing a genocide against the Uyghurs, stripping Hong Kongers of their basic rights and is building up China’s military to compete with us and further its goal of world domination. Biden’s own State Department official accused Beijing of turning the Xinjiang province into an ‘open-air prison.’ Under no circumstance should the global community give Communist China an international platform – the 2022 Olympic Games – to whitewash its crimes, yet Biden seems unconcerned.

“Like the crisis at the border and the rising inflation that’s hurting American families, Biden is completely absent when it comes to standing against Communist China’s human rights abuses. I’ve been clear – this isn’t about a boycott, which only punishes athletes. That’s a weak and frankly pathetic response being used by United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and others to justify keeping the Games in Communist China. This is about human rights and about saying what General Secretary Xi is doing is wrong and won’t be tolerated. Period. President Biden has the unique opportunity to lead international efforts and encourage organizations like USOPC to stand for human rights and relocate the 2022 Olympic Games to the United States. Instead, Biden refuses to even take a meeting to discuss standing up for freedom. It’s shameful, but I’m not giving up this fight.”  

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