NCAA Basketball

The North Carolina cities of Greensboro and Charlotte must prove to the NCAA how each site will provide a discrimination-free zone in their respective arenas, or risk losing hosting privileges for the NCAA tournament's first and second rounds in 2017 and 2018. The news was reported by ESPN's Andy Katz following a new anti-discrimination process for championship bids was approved by the NCAA on Wednesday.

(AP)

The NCAA could pull the men's basketball tournament from the North Carolina cities of Greensboro and Charlotte in 2017 and 2018 if it can't prove how each site will provide a discrimination-free zone in their respective arenas, according to ESPN's Andy Katz.

In a statement provided to ESPN, the NCAA said, "Currently awarded sites must report 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 information must 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.''

North Carolina has hosted the men's basketball tournament 13 times since 2000, including in Raleigh last month.

The move comes in response to an anti-discrimination measure passed on Wednesday by NCAA Board of Governors at their quarterly meeting in Indianapolis.

In a news release, the NCAA said it requires sites that are hosting events or bidding on them "to demonstrate how they will provide an environment that is safe, healthy and free of discrimination."

"The higher education community is a diverse mix of people from different racial, ethnic, religious and sexual orientation backgrounds," board chairman and Kansas State president Kirk Schulz said in a statement. "So it is important that we assure that community ... will always enjoy the experience of competing and watching at NCAA championships without concerns of discrimination."

The NCAA said the decision follows actions of legislatures in several states. While the NCAA didn't specify which states, Mississippi and North Carolina have recently passed laws that critics say can allow discrimination against members of the LGBT community.

The issue in North Carolina arose when Gov. Pat McCrory signed HB2 into law in March, overturning a measure approved by Charlotte leaders that allowed transgender people to use the restroom aligned with their gender identity. HB2 does not allow cities to pass their own anti-discrimination laws that deal with public areas.

Earlier this month, Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant signed a bill that allows government workers, religious groups and some private businesses to cite religious beliefs to deny services to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. It goes into effect July 1.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has said the 2017 All-Star Game could be moved from Charlotte if HB2 stands.

Several entertainers have pulled shows from North Carolina over HB2.

Those include musical acts Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Mumford and Sons, Boston and Nick Jonas and Demi Lovato.

The Blue Man Group and Cirque du Soleil have also canceled shows in North Carolina over HB2.

The NCAA hasn't allowed neutral-site championship events in states where governments fly the Confederate battle flag since 2001, and has also blocked schools from hosting if they use "abusive or offensive" Native American imagery or mascots.

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Information from the Associated Press was used in this report

