NCAA pullout: Removal of championships is biggest test yet for HB2

The National Collegiate Athletic Association has decided to remove seven championship sporting events from North Carolina because of the state law that requires transgender people to use the restroom of their anatomical gender rather than their gender identity.

The move is the biggest test yet of the willingness of state lawmakers to stick to their guns in support of the law. Some businesses and entertainers have already said they would not come to the state because of the law, generally known as House Bill 2.

In a statement, the NCAA said it based its decision on North Carolina's abuse of the civil rights of transgender people.

What we want to know is where are these events going to be held now? There are plenty of other states that have approved legislation similar to North Carolina's. Is the NCAA going to boycott all of them? You can't hold all major collegiate championships in New York.

We doubt that the NCAA will reconsider its decision. That august body is not particularly known for its flexibility. We just hope our legislators -- many of whom are certainly big sports fans -- won't be weakened in their resolve simply because of a basketball game.

Published in Editorials on September 14, 2016 10:08 AM