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(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Mayor Andrew Ginther
today sent the following letter regarding the Arnold Sports and
Fitness Expo:
Dear Governor Schwarzenegger and Mr. Lorimer,
On Tuesday, we all understood what the agreement was between the
Arnold Sports Festival, the city of Columbus, and the state of Ohio
about how the competition would proceed. Athletes would continue to
compete. Parents would be able to watch their children compete.
Trainers, coaches, and officials running the competition would play
their part. Spectators would be able to attend certain single
ticketed events, such as the Arnold Classic, Arnold Men's Physique,
Bikini International & Arnold Strongman Classic Finals, and Classic
Physique, Fitness International, Figure International & Women's
Physique Finals (four events each Friday and Saturday nights). No
spectators would be able to attend other associated events due the
risk of community spread of COVID-19. It made sense that the
decision about a health and wellness festival was made with the
health and wellness of its fans in mind.
We met with your staff today to consider your revised request to
consider allowing spectators in absence of the Expo, and to consider
additional information provided by your staff. After consideration
of this information, we remain gravely concerned that the event
still poses a unique and unacceptable risk for the spread of
COVID-19 for guests and the community. These concerns include the
attendance of individuals from more than 80 countries and from other
parts of the United States, including states affected by COVID-19.
We are also concerned that almost all the other competitions at the
festival are not single ticket events and are rather general
admission, which allows for spectators to attend dozens of events
and travel freely from facility to facility. These facts make this
unique event significantly different than any other event we know of
in this state.
We stand united in our expectation that this event and its
organizers abide by the original agreement reached Tuesday. In the
event that organizers fail to comply with our agreement, we stand
ready to take appropriate action under Ohio law to protect the
health and safety of the residents of the State of Ohio and our
guests.
Very sincerely yours,
Mike DeWine Ohio Governor
Andrew Ginther Columbus Mayor |
