NCAA pulls events from North Carolina over controversial law

The NCAA on Monday announced it will relocate seven championship events previously awarded to North Carolina due to the state's controversial House Bill 2.

The NCAA is following the lead of the NBA, which announced in July that it was moving the 2017 All-Star Game scheduled for Charlotte, N.C., because of the law that prevents municipalities from passing laws that guarantee protection to people based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

"Fairness is about more than the opportunity to participate in college sports, or even compete for championships," NCAA president Mark Emmert said in a statement. "We believe in providing a safe and respectful environment at our events and are committed to providing the best experience possible for college athletes, fans and everyone taking part in our championships."

Among the high-profile events to be moved from the state are two rounds of the Division I men's basketball tournament and the Division I women's soccer Final Four.

The NCAA issued a statement that read in part, "In its decision Monday, the Board of Governors emphasized that NCAA championships and events must promote an inclusive atmosphere for all college athletes, coaches, administrators and fans. Current North Carolina state laws make it challenging to guarantee that host communities can help deliver on that commitment if NCAA events remained in the state, the board said."

The controversial bill, which overturned measures that allowed transgendered people from using public restrooms based on their gender identity, drew harsh criticism from legendary Duke men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski, who called it "embarrassing."

It also has led to repercussions from outside the sports world. Performers such as Bruce Springsteen have canceled planned concerts in the state in response to the bill.