NCAA Pulls Championships From North Carolina, Citing Bathroom Law

North Carolina faces more consequences from their HB2 bathroom bill as the NCAA will remove all 2016-17 championships from the state, according to a press release sent on Monday evening. The organization joins the NBA, which relocated its All-Star Game, and other prominent groups in enacting financial penalties against the state. “Fairness is about more than the opportunity to participate in college sports, or even compete for championships,” Mark Emmert, NCAA president, said in the statement. “We believe in providing a safe and respectful environment at our events and are committed to providing the best experience possible for college athletes, fans and everyone taking part in our championships." The move may also have a practical component. New York, Minnesota, Washington, Vermont and Connecticut have banned official travel to North Carolina in protest of HB2, which would make it impossible for athletes from public universities to compete. The NCAA clarified its reasons for the move in a pair of tweets. They also made clear how HB2 differs from other discriminatory laws in their release. The general thrust of their argument is that the law formalizes discrimination on a state-wide level by preemptively overruling laws that protect certain groups from persecution.