NCAA Relocating Seven Championships In North Carolina Due To Controversial Bathroom Law
INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA is pulling some major events out of North Carolina. Officials announced they will relocate seven of their championships planned in North Carolina in response to the signing of the controversial bathroom law.
House Bill 2 in North Carolina prevents cities and counties from passing protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It also says people in public schools must use bathrooms or locker rooms based on their biological sex.
This is a political hot button topic and now the NCAA has decided to use its power to make a stand. The law was signed earlier this year by North Carolina’s governor. The NBA already moved its All-Star game out of Charlotte and numerous companies have also boycotted the state. Now the NCAA is moving seven events including the 2017 division one men’s basketball championship. The NCAA said it’s championship events must promote an “inclusive atmosphere for all college athletes, coaches, administrators and fans.”
Spokeswoman Kami Mueller from the North Carolina State Republican party blasted the decision.
“The NCAA will do well to stop their political peacocking and care more about the safety and privacy of our athletes across the nation far more than their profit line.”
The NCAA Board of Governors said, “North Carolina has the only statewide law that makes it unlawful to use a restroom different from the gender of one’s birth certificate, regardless of gender identity.”
If you remember last year in Indiana, the Religious Freedom Restoration act created a similar issue with the NCAA. The Association was one of the first to express concern about the law and threatened to pull its championship games out of the state.
- 2016 Division I Women’s Soccer Championship, College Cup (Cary), Dec. 2 and 4.
- 2016 Division III Men’s and Women’s Soccer Championships (Greensboro), Dec. 2 and 3.
- 2017 Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, first/second rounds (Greensboro), March 17 and 19.
- 2017 Division I Women’s Golf Championships, regional (Greenville), May 8-10.
- 2017 Division III Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships (Cary), May 22-27.
- 2017 Division I Women’s Lacrosse Championship (Cary), May 26 and 28.
- 2017 Division II Baseball Championship (Cary), May 27-June 3.
Source: WISH