Ind. law could force women’s Final Four to relocate in 2016

INDIANAPOLIS — As pressure builds for repeal or revision of Indiana’s new religious objection law, the NCAA faces a decision about whether to call for next year’s women’s Final Four to find a new venue.

NCAA president Mark Emmert has indicated the India napolis-headquartered orga ni zation would consider relocati ng all types of college sports events out of state if the law doesn’t change. But none on the calendar is quite as urgent as next year’s women’s championship.

Indiana’s capital city, which has built an economy and reputation as an attractive base for major sports events, is being watched carefully as fallout swells about the law, which opponents say amounts to legalized discrimination.

The NCAA was among the first sports organizations to express concern with the law when it was signed by Gov. Mike Pence last week, and many others have followed, including the NFL, the NBA and NASCAR.

The men’s Final Four i s in I ndianapolis t his weekend and could not have been moved on short notice. But officials have made it clea r t here is enough time to consider relocating future events, and that they want an environment welcoming to all athletes and fans.

“What’s going on in Indiana is troubling,” NCAA vice president of women’s basketball championships Anucha Browne Sanders said Thursday. “We will assess all our championships in the state of Indiana.”

The Indiana law prohibits any laws that “substantially burdens” a person’s ability to follow his or her religious beliefs. The definition of “person” includes religious institutions, businesses and associations.

Although the legal language does not specifically mention gays and lesbians, critics say the law is designed to protect businesses a nd i ndividuals who do not want to serve gays and lesbians, such as florists or caterers who might be hired for a samesex wedding.

Pence on Tuesday asked lawmakers to send him a clarification of the state’s new religious-freedom law later this week.

Indianapolis is planning to have “a noticeably higher police presence” in the city’s downtown area during the Final Four weekend, and off icia ls have created a designated area immediately south of the Lucas Oil Stadium where people can hold protests, said Al Larsen, spokesman for the city’s Department of Public Safety.