LOS ANGELES, Calif. (March 26, 2015) – The LGBT Sports Coalition condemns the action of Gov. Mike Pence and the Indiana State Legislature in passing SB 101, a bill that gives individuals and businesses a license to discriminate against LGBT people under the guise of religious beliefs.

We regret that players, coaches and fans planning to attend the Men's Final Four next week now need to factor potential acts of legal discrimination into their plans of what should be a celebration of college basketball.

The sports world must now stand united against such blatant discrimination. While we recognize the impossibility of Indiana-based schools and professional sports teams forgoing home games, we believe any sporting events that can be moved outside the state should be moved. To host a major sporting event in the state, with legitimate venues available elsewhere, would put LGBT athletes, coaches, and fans in harm's way and lend support to the discrimination of LGBT people.

To that end the LGBT Sports Coalition calls on:

  • USA Gymnastics to move the 2015 P&G Championship;
  • The Big Ten to move its 2015 football conference championship game;
  • The NCAA to move the 2016 Women’s Final Four and all future NCAA basketball tournament games awayandother organized NCAA sporting eventsfrom the state of Indiana;
  • The NFL to move the Scouting Combine to a city outside of Indiana;
  • USA Diving to move its 2016 Olympic team trials;

We also call for all other national governing bodies to withdraw their special events from the State of Indiana.

About the LGBT Sports Coalition

The coalition is an association of organizations and individuals committed to ending anti-LGBT bias in sports by 2016. It was formalized at the LGBT Sports Summit in Portland, Ore., in June 2013. Coalition member organizations include National Soccer Coaches Association of America LGBT Committee, Equality Coaching Alliance, Outsports, You Can Play, GLSEN, StandUp Foundation, GO! Athletes, Women's Sports Foundation, NIRSA Leaders in Collegiate Recreation, International Gay and Lesbian Football Association, SHAPE America, Federation of Gay Games, Campus Pride, Br{ache The Silence, GLAAD, National Center for Lesbian Rights, and It Gets Better. Individual members include Pat Griffin, Anthony Nicodemo, Jeff Sheng, Kirk Walker, Christina Kahrl, Sue Rankin, Sherri Murrell, Nora Cothren, Diana Cutaia, Chris Mosier, Stephanie Wheeler, Laurie Priest, and Erin Buzuvis. Champion Women supports this statement.

LGBT Sports Coalition media contacts

Christina Kahrl
773-391-8520
[email protected]

Dan Woog
203-984-9635
[email protected]LGBT Sports Coalition logo

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