Duke, UNC Athletic Directors Applaud NCAA for Punishing State

Athletic directors at two of the most prominent schools in North Carolina praised the NCAA for pulling championship events from their state.

“We agree with the NCAA’s decision,” Duke University AD Kevin White maintained in a statement. “Our position has been clear on this matter, which is that this legislation is discriminatory, troubling and embarrassing. We deplore any efforts to deprive individuals, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, of legal protections and rights. We will always be committed to diversity and inclusion, and applaud any efforts to ensure that those values are protected and enacted at all times, and in places in the state of North Carolina.”

White’s University of North Carolina counterpart seconded his position.

“Carolina Athletics is steadfast in its commitment to fairness, inclusion and ensuring that all who come to our campus for athletics events are welcome,” Bubba Cunningham noted. “We are disappointed for the people of this great state, the communities that are scheduled to play host to these championship events and to the students who may be denied the opportunity to compete for championships in their home state.”

The NCAA cited House Bill 2, a law that restricts multiple-occupancy public restrooms in state facilities to members of the sex indicated on the entrance, to justify pulling previously scheduled events from the Tar Heel State. Transgender individuals call the legislation bigotry.

The removed events include first- and second-round games of the men’s basketball tournament in Greensboro, and Division 1 championships in women’s soccer, golf, and lacrosse.