Politics do affect sports
Politics and sports don’t mix, but to say they aren’t constantly intertwined would be asinine.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association Board of Governors said it may ban future championships — including college baseball and softball regionals — in Arkansas and other states that have passed legislation barring transgender athletes from competing on teams that align with their gender identity.
“Inclusion and fairness can coexist for all student-athletes, including transgender athletes, at all levels of sport,” the NCAA board said in a statement on Monday. “Our clear expectation as the Association’s top governing body is that all student-athletes will be treated with dignity and respect. We are committed to ensuring that NCAA championships are open for all who earn the right to compete in them.”
Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas is firm on his stance, becoming the second state in the country to enact a law banning transgender athletes from competing in female sports.
“This law simply says that female athletes should not have to compete in a sport against a student of the male sex when the sport is designed for women’s competition,” Hutchinson said. “As I have stated previously, I agree with the intention of this law. This will help promote and maintain fairness in women’s sporting events.
“I want the message to be that we want to make sure that everyone is protected, that everyone has equal treatment under the laws. That is very, very important, whether it’s transgender or whether it is some other characteristic.”
The University of Arkansas’ baseball team is ranked No. 1 in the country and will likely host a regional or super regional, if the team continues their success as planned.
The loss of revenue could negatively affect the city’s tourism dollar amount.
The trickle down of government policy and college sports could also affect the Division II colleges in Arkansas as well.
The Live United Bowl, which one of the only two Div. II postseason bowl games, may possibly have to change some things if this NCAA mandate stands.