The Special Olympics have succumbed to pressure from Florida officials and will lift vaccination requirements for athletes at its event this weekend after the state threatened the Games’ governing body with $ 27.5 million in fines, according to a report.
The Orlando event is expected to attract more than 5,500 athletes from across the country – all of whom originally had to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.
But organizers of the US Special Olympics have resigned after Florida threatened to impose penalties, according to Orlando Sentinel.
“There must be a choice in this regard,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a promotional event in Orlando on Friday.
“Let them compete. We want everyone to be able to compete. ”
Last year, DeSantis banned vaccine passports and ordered the state to impose $ 5,000 in fines on companies, schools and government agencies that require people to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19.
ABC News’s Jay O’Brien was the first to announce that the Special Olympics had resigned.
Athletes participating in this year’s Orlando Special Olympics will not be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19.MEGA
DeSantis’ health department sent a letter to the International Special Olympics Olympics on Thursday, informing the governing body that its vaccine requirement was in violation of state law.
Joseph Ladapo, Florida’s surgeon general, told reporters he had spoken to SOI over the past six months in an attempt to avoid fines.
SCOOP: The state or Florida threatened the Special Olympics with fines of $ 27.5 million because the organization had a request for a vaccine at its games in Orlando this weekend.
Late yesterday, the Special Olympics withdrew the requirement. 1/3
– Jay O’Brien (@jayobtv) June 3, 2022
The Florida Department of Health said the Special Olympics “failed to reconcile the event for the benefit of its delegates and restore all those denied access based on evidence of vaccination.”
The Special Olympics finally relented on Thursday, issuing a statement that it has raised its demand for the vaccine and that all athletes will be eligible to participate.
“Delegates who have been registered for the Games but are unable to participate due to the pre-vaccination requirement now have the opportunity to attend,” the organization said.
DeSantis is one of the most vocal critics of mandatory vaccinations and coronavirus-related blocking measures. AFP via Getty Images
“We don’t want to fight,” he said. “We want to play.”
The governor of Florida has not hesitated to take action against companies and organizations that hold conflicting public positions on key political issues.
Earlier on Friday, it was reported that DeSantis had vetoed $ 35 million in government spending on a new training facility for the Tampa Bay Race after the baseball team posted a tweet in support of gun control.
The move comes just weeks after the Republican governor – and rumored presidential candidate in 2024 – stripped Disney of its self-governing status after Mouse House came out in opposition to a new law banning explicit sex and gender education. young children.
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