Statement by Special Olympics New York

Our attempt to include as many athletes as possible in a live virtual workout this morning was compromised by someone who took advantage of our open community platform, now sometimes being referred to as “zoombombing.”

The actions of this individual and the external content that was posted is in no way endorsed or supported by Special Olympics New York. We have contacted the authorities and will conduct an investigation into this upsetting and unfortunate incident.

Our dedication to connect with our athletes during this time is unwavering. They need us and we need them. Special Olympics New York remains committed to creating a virtual environment where we can engage with our athletes and our community while formal sports training and competition is suspended.

We thank all of our athletes and coaches for joining us today for our virtual workout. We apologize that we had to cut our time together short due to this cowardly behavior.

We send our sincerest apologies to those who attended and encourage organizations like ours turning to virtual outreach to be aware of disruptive practices such as “zoombombing” and “botbusting” that seek to disrupt well intentioned content.