DeSantis Campaign Press Release - When Ron DeSantis Fought for Special Olympics Athletes, Gavin Newsom Sided with Bureaucracy and Big Pharma

In 2021, when Floridians were faced with losing their jobs over mRNA vaccine mandates, Ron DeSantis stepped up to defend individual rights by banning vaccine passports. In 2022, the bureaucracy of Special Olympics International (SOI) attempted to impose a COVID vaccine mandate for all athletes to participate in the Special Olympic Games in Florida. Such a requirement would have violated state law and excluded many athletes from competing.

One family in Kansas sought a medical exemption for their son with Down Syndrome to be able to participate in the games.

• Their son has complex medical needs, and they did not want to risk adverse effects by giving him the mRNA shots.
• But the family was told that their son needed to get the first dose of the COVID vaccine, and only if he had any negative reactions would they approve the strict medical exemption form that Special Olympics International was requiring. Under pressure, he took the first dose, had a seizure, and was hospitalized.

Special Olympians should never have been pressured to make these decisions to participate when taking the COVID vaccine was not advised by their physician.

The DeSantis Administration attempted for months to negotiate with SOI, to support these athletes and ensure nobody would be marginalized based on vaccination status.

• After the Florida Department of Health contacted SOI to advise the organization that vaccine passport requirements violate Florida law, SOI changed its policy.
• Thanks to the DeSantis Administration, all athletes were able to participate in the Special Olympic Games in Florida.

Shortly thereafter, Gavin Newsom ran ads in Florida urging Floridians to move to California for "freedom."

• Newsom said that he decided to run the ads because DeSantis "did something that tipped me very directly, and that was going after the Special Olympics." The California governor went on to accuse DeSantis of "bullying" the international organization – by not allowing them to force mRNA shots on disabled athletes.
• In an interview, DeSantis responded to Newsom's attacks, saying: "He would discriminate against athletes with Down Syndrome! Give me a break."

Gavin Newsom sided with the bureaucracy that was forcing people with complex medical needs to get mRNA vaccines that could harm them. Newsom stood for an organization that sought to marginalize athletes who did not comply with an unscientific and risky vaccine mandate. Ron DeSantis, on the other hand, stood with the athletes and fought to ensure that everyone would be free to compete in the Special Olympic Games. DeSantis' bold actions ensured a win for all the athletes and for medical freedom.