The NCAA Board of Governors on Wednesday said it took steps to "protect participants and spectators from discrimination" at NCAA events.
At its quarterly meeting in Indianapolis, the board adopted a new requirement for cities and states hosting or bidding on NCAA events in all divisions — from the men's and women's Final Fours to educational events such as leadership development conferences.
The new rules require sites to "demonstrate how they will provide an environment that is safe, healthy, and free of discrimination, plus safeguards the dignity of everyone involved in the event," the NCAA said in a release.
"The higher education community is a diverse mix of people from different racial, ethnic, religious and sexual orientation backgrounds," said Kirk Schulz, president of Kansas State University and chair of the Board of Governors. "So it is important that we assure that community – including our student-athletes and fans – will always enjoy the experience of competing and watching at NCAA championships without concerns of discrimination."
The new requirement integrates appropriate protections against discrimination into the championships bidding process. Board members feel the measure will provide assurance that anyone associated with an NCAA championship event – whether they are working, playing or cheering – will be treated with fairness and respect.
Watch NCAA Board of Governors Chairman Kirk Schulz announce the NCAA's new policy demanding 'inclusiveness' and 'anti-discrimination' assurances from all cities hosting NCAA events:
The board said its decision was partly a response to the recent actions of legislatures in several states which have passed laws allowing residents to refuse to provide services to some people based on their "sexual orientation or gender identity."
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The NCAA did not mince words or try to mask who it was targeting with its new rules – those who believe in traditional Christianity.
"While proponents of the laws focus on how they protect religious beliefs, critics have voiced concerns that they create an environment of sanctioned discrimination," the NCAA release states.
The board’s decision "reaffirms the NCAA commitment to operate championships and events that promote an inclusive atmosphere in which student-athletes participate, coaches and administrators lead and fans engage.
The NCAA board said it "considers the promotion of inclusiveness in race, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity as a vital element to protecting the well-being of student-athletes, promoting diversity in hiring practices and creating a culture of fairness."
NCAA spokeswoman Stacey Osburn did not immediately return WND's call seeking information on how many transgender athletes are currently competing in the NCAA and how many complaints the NCAA has had over the years from transgender fans facing "discrimination."
"Historically, the Association has used the opportunity to host its events as a means to make clear its values," the release continued.
The NCAA already prohibits championships events with sites in states where governments display the Confederate battle flag. It also prohibits NCAA members from hosting championship events if their school nicknames "use Native American imagery that is considered abusive and offensive."
College teams such as the Eastern Michigan University "Fighting Hurons" changed their names years ago to less "abusive" mascots like the "Eagles."
The new selection criteria, procedures and the status of currently awarded sites will be reported to the Board of Governors' ad hoc "Committee to Promote Cultural Diversity and Equity" and full implementation is expected during the current bidding process, the NCAA said.
The board directed the NCAA national office staff to finalize details related to the statement's implementation.
Inclusive of everyone but traditional Christians
Leaders in the Christian community said the NCAA's decision has nothing to do with "inclusiveness," "equality" or assuring the "dignity" of athletes and fans.
"Make no mistake about it, this move is about the continuation of promoting the radical gay agenda and the targeting for punishment those who don't fall in line," said Carl Gallups, a Christian pastor in Florida who also hosts a weekly radio show.
"The NCAA statement quickly disclosed that it was most concerned about 'sexual orientation,'" he said. "The political correctness of their feigned concern for equity is fraught with hypocrisy."
Gallups, author of "Be Thou Prepared" and "Final Warning," said he can't help but wonder how the NCAA will manage the coming debacle of opening its own female bathrooms and locker rooms in sports stadiums to men.
"What will they do when the attendance level drastically reduces in the style of the latest Target plummet and national backlash?" he said. "Even super-liberal families are not going to look favorably upon a man following their 6-year-old daughter into a bathroom."
Gallups also wonders if the NCAA will now start allowing women to play on NCAA men's football or hockey teams if they "feel" like a male on any given day.
Inclusiveness would logically also extend to the handicapped.
"Will they allow someone in a wheelchair to play nose guard for an NCAA SEC team, for example?" Gallups said. "If they don't, are they being 'unfair?' Are they refusing to equate the genders as 'equal?' Or is this really about pushing the radical gay agenda – just as far as they can possibly push it?"
Pepsi 'doubles down' on LGBT agenda
In related news, Pepsi CEO Indra Nooyi doubled-down on the company's commitment to LGBT activism at the company's annual shareholder meeting Wednesday.
Nooyi made it clear that activism on the LGBT issue is a priority for the company.
National Center for Public Policy Research Free Enterprise Project Director Justin Danhof, Esq. spoke directly with the Pepsi CEO at the meeting held in New Bern, North Carolina.
Nooyi has called on North Carolina to repeal a state law known as HB2 that itself repealed a Charlotte ordinance that said bathroom use in Charlotte cannot be designated by biological sex, and made harsh statements about the law.
The law is highly controversial, in part because business executives such as Pepsi's Nooyi, entertainers such as Bruce Springsteen, and even foreign businesses such as Ontario's Cirque du Soleil have made firm statements against the law that appear to question the morality of anyone holding a contrary opinion.
Overplaying their hand?
Just as Target recently overplayed its hand, Gallups said he believes the radical gay – and wildly hypocritical – movement will continue to overplay its hand using the NCAA, Pepsi and others as its experimental lab.
"We are losing our collective minds – and our common sense is going out the window along with reason and biblical/historical right-mindedness," he continued. "The Bible spoke of these days in Romans Chapter 1, and the issues in those passages were directly related to the matter of what we now artfully call 'gender equality.' God help us."