{"id":482002,"date":"2021-07-21T10:35:37","date_gmt":"2021-07-21T17:35:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=482002"},"modified":"2021-07-21T10:35:37","modified_gmt":"2021-07-21T17:35:37","slug":"senator-maggie-hassan-calls-for-usopc-action-after-becca-meyers-withdrawal-from-paralympics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/senator-maggie-hassan-calls-for-usopc-action-after-becca-meyers-withdrawal-from-paralympics\/","title":{"rendered":"Senator Maggie Hassan Calls for USOPC Action after Becca Meyers\u2019 Withdrawal from Paralympics"},"content":{"rendered":"

Senator Maggie Hassan Calls for USOPC Action after Becca Meyers\u2019 Withdrawal from Paralympics<\/strong><\/p>\n

Senator Maggie Hassan<\/strong> (D-New Hampshire) has written a letter to the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) urging it to address inequities in its treatment of athletes. The letter was prompted by Becca Meyers\u2019 <\/strong>withdrawal from the Paralympics<\/a> over the USOPC\u2019s refusal to grant the deaf-blind swimmer a personal-care assistant at what would\u2019ve been her third Games.<\/p>\n

Hassan raised the issue Tuesday<\/a> during a meeting of the Senate\u2019s Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Given the USOPC\u2019s dependence on funding and oversight from government bodies like the Senate, Hassan\u2019s formal rebuke holds considerable sway.<\/p>\n

From Hassan\u2019s letter<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Ms. Meyers should have never been forced to withdraw from the games because she wasn\u2019t given the necessary support and I strongly urge the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee to work immediately to address this issue. We must ensure that all of our athletes are able to compete safely at this summer\u2019s Olympic and Paralympic Games \u2013 including by providing them with necessary accommodations.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Meyers, who competed at the 2012 and 2016 Games, had six Olympic medals, including three golds, to her name. She\u2019s a two-time ESPY Award winner and one of the most recognizable names in Paralympic swimming.<\/p>\n
The USOPC, citing restrictions on traveling parties to the Tokyo Paralympics due to COVID-19, denied a request for Meyers\u2019 mother to serve as her personal-care assistant on the trip. Over a lack of certainty regarding her safety on the trip, Meyers elected to withdraw from the Games.<\/p>\n
Meyers\u2019 situation revealed a bigger issue: The 33-athlete delegation has just one personal-care attendant for the entire team, which includes nine swimmers with low vision like Meyers. That concern is what Hassan primarily raises in her letter.<\/p>\n
Meyers wrote an opinion piece<\/a> for USA Today<\/em> further explaining her decision. She has received broad support from within the swimming community, including from her sponsor, Speedo.<\/p>\n
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A post shared by Speedo USA (@speedousa)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n