NCAA to Prohibit Events in All States with Anti-LGBT Laws

The NCAA Board of Governors has taken steps to defend fans and players by prohibiting states with anti-LGBT laws to host or bid on any NCAA events.

This would be the strongest stance any sports organization has ever taken against anti-LGBT laws.

The decision was made during the NCAA’s quarterly meeting, and was released to the public on Wednesday. The states include Mississippi and North Carolina, – and a handful of other southern states.

The Collegiate Athletic Association wants to ensure player and fan safety, which means every individual being treated equally – regardless of sexual orientation.

“The higher education community is a diverse mix of people from different racial, ethnic, religious and sexual orientation backgrounds,” said Kirk Schulz, president of Kansas State University and chair of the Board of Governors.

The reasoning behind the NCAA’s decision are the laws stating that businesses have the right to refuse service to an individual based on their sexual orientation – which is backed by “religious beliefs.”

The NCAA wouldn’t be the first to ‘boycott’ the southern states. Artists like Bruce Springsteen, Bryan Adams, and Pearl Jam have all taken their stand against their discrimination laws by cancelling concerts in the past month.

The NCAA also prohibits championships and events to be held at facilities that fly the Confederate flag, or mock First-Nation culture with mascots.

Atlanta, Georgia has similar laws in place, and they are scheduled to host the 2020 men’s basketball Final Four championship – although that may now be reconsidered.

We applaud the NCAA’s stance and hope it’s only a matter of time until other sports organizations follow in their footsteps.

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