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NCAA Lifts Ban on North Carolina Events

After “bathroom bill” reform.

The NCAA is lifting its ban on college sports events being held in North Carolina following the rollback of the state’s controversial HB2, or “bathroom bill.” The association said in a statement Tuesday that it is “actively determining site selections” for future events after it decided that new measure creates an scenario where by “we believe NCAA championships may be conducted in a nondiscriminatory environment.” The statement added: “If we find that our expectations of a discrimination-free environment are not met, we will not hesitate to take necessary action at any time.” The law was rolled back last week after the state’s Democratic governor cut a deal with Republican leaders in the legislature, but gay-rights groups have said the repeal does not go far enough in preventing discrimination against LGBT people. HB2 was labeled as discriminatory against transgender people when it was enacted in 2016 because it required that they use the public bathroom corresponding to the gender listed on their birth certificates rather than the gender with which they identify. Analysts say North Carolina venues have lost $600 million in business since that measure went into effect due to boycotts.