‘NO PLACE’

NCAA Closes Loophole in Confederate Flag Rule, Prevents Mississippi from Hosting Championship Events

The expanded rule prevents a championship event from being hosted in any state where a Confederate flag is prominently displayed, singling out Mississippi.

The NCAA closed a loophole in its Confederate flag policy on Friday that means Mississippi will not be able to host championship events. The college athletics governing organization enacted a policy in 2001 that barred such events in states that widely display the offensive flag, but it contained an exception for institutions that had earned the right to host competitions based on seeding. The expansion of the policy removes the exception—and the NCAA said only Mississippi is affected since its state flag incorporates the flag of the Confederacy. “There is no place in college athletics or the world for symbols or acts of discrimination and oppression,” NCAA board chair Michael V. Drake said.