McCrory responds to NCAA decision to cut NC events

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — A day after the NCAA announced it would remove championship events from North Carolina over the next year due to HB2, Gov. Pat McCrory is responding.

“The issue of redefining gender and basic norms of privacy will be resolved in the near future in the United States court system for not only North Carolina, but the entire nation,” McCrory said in a statement released this afternoon. “I strongly encourage all public and private institutions to both respect and allow our nation’s judicial system to proceed without economic threats or political retaliation toward the 22 states that are currently challenging government overreach. Sadly, the NCAA, a multi-billion dollar, tax-exempt monopoly, failed to show this respect at the expense of our student athletes and hard-working men and women.”

The NCAA announced the move yesterday citing the organization’s “commitment to fairness and inclusion.” Among the events moved are the NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship in Cary and NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament games in Greensboro.

The Atlantic Coast Conference, which is based in North Carolina and has a long tradition of hosting conference events in the Tar Heel State, is also reportedly considering moving championships from North Carolina over the law, which critics say discriminates against LGBT people. Proponents, including McCrory, call it common sense privacy protection.

The NCAA held a similar ban for years against South Carolina while the state flew the Confederate flag over and at the state capitol.