Disability advocates are calling on the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee to rethink its policies after a Paralympic gold medalist swimmer was denied a request to have a care assistant travel with her to Tokyo due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Lex Gillette lost his sight when he was 8-years-old, but says that’s when he found his vision. He spoke with ABC News' Will Ganss.Disability advocates and elected officials are calling on the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee to rethink its policies after a Paralympic gold medalist swimmer was denied a request to have a care assistant travel with her to Tokyo due to COVID-19 restrictions.
"I am angry, I am disappointed, but most importantly, I am sad not to representing my country," she wrote in a statementThe news stunned the Paralympian and disabled community as they've been looking forward to her swimming for over five years, Kristin Duquette, a former Team USA Paralympic swimmer and disability rights advocate, told ABC News.
Meyers noted that her mother has accompanied her to events as her personal care assistant since 2017 and was essential for her to compete.Rebecca Meyers of the United States competes at the Women's 400m Freestyle - S13 Final during day 5 of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium, Sept. 12, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro.
Move United, a nonprofit group that promotes parasports, also called on the committee to rethink its policies given the limited resources for Paralympians.
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