“Disgusting Discrimination”: Dylan Alcott Calls Out The US Open For Scrapping Wheelchair Comp
"I thought I did enough to qualify - 2X champion, number one in the world -- but unfortunately I missed the only thing that mattered, being able to walk."
Dylan Alcott took to Twitter today to call out the US Open for their decision to let the 2020 games go ahead without a wheelchair competition.
His tweets come after the US Tennis Association (UTSA) announced that the 2020 event will still go ahead but without spectators and only with the men and women singles events and the men and women doubles games.
To put this into perspective, the US Open normally features the above games plus a mixed doubles event, singles and doubts events for players under 18, and singles and doubles wheelchair tennis events for women, men and quads.
The totally scrapping of the wheelchair event was noticed and criticised by Dylan Alcott, an Australian Paralympian and a number one quad wheelchair tennis player in the world — who has over 10 grand slam titles, including two US Opens.
Taking to Twitter, Alcott shared that competitors with disabilities were not consulted about the UTSA’s decision before it was made and called the 2020 games “disgusting discrimination”.
“I thought I did enough to qualify — two-time champion, number one in the world — but unfortunately I missed the only thing that mattered, being able to walk,” he wrote this morning.
Just got announced that the US Open will go ahead WITHOUT wheelchair tennis.. Players weren’t consulted. I thought I did enough to qualify – 2x champion, number 1 in the world. But unfortunately I missed the only thing that mattered, being able to walk. Disgusting discrimination
— Dylan Alcott (@DylanAlcott) June 17, 2020
Continuing his criticism, Alcott explained that the decision to attend should’ve been his to make and that any excuse of him having a “greater risk” because of his disability was not good enough.
And please do not tell me I am a ‘greater risk’ because I am disabled. I am disabled yes but that does not make me SICK. I am fitter and healthier than nearly everybody reading this right now. There are no added risks.
— Dylan Alcott (@DylanAlcott) June 17, 2020
And for sure there are far more important things going on in the world, but that choice should’ve been up TO ME. It is blatant discrimination for able bodied people to decide on my behalf what i do with my LIFE AND CAREER just because I am disabled. Not good enough @usopen
— Dylan Alcott (@DylanAlcott) June 17, 2020
Since Dylan Alcott openly criticised the tournament, the US Open have yet to respond publicly to his tweets. But in response, some people online have suggested that Tennis Australia and all Australian players boycott the US tournament in solidarity — but with $60 million in prize money on the line, that’s unlikely to happen.
Junkee has reached out to the US Open regarding their decision. A spokesperson did not respond by time of publication.