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North Carolina governor issues statement on NCAA pulling championships from state

Republican Candidate For Senate Thom Tillis Attends His Election Night Gathering

CHARLOTTE, NC - NOVEMBER 4: North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory (C) talks to guests at U.S. Rep. Thom Tillis’s watch party at The Omni Hotel Ballroom on November 4, 2014, in Charlotte, North Carolina. U.S. Rep. Thom Tillis (R-NC) is running in a tight race for the North Carolina Senate seat against opponent U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC). (Photo by Davis Turner/Getty Images)

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North Carolina governor Pat McCrory chastised the NCAA on Tuesday in an official statement regarding the organization’s decision to remove all its championships from the state in response to its controversial HB2 bathroom law.

“I strongly encourage all public and private institutions to both respect and allow our nation’s judicial system to proceed without economic threats or political retaliation toward the 22 states that are currently challenging government overreach,” McCrory said in a statement according to the Charlotte Observer. “Sadly, the NCAA, a multi-billion dollar, tax-exempt monopoly, failed to show this respect at the expense of our student athletes and hard-working men and women.”

On Monday, the NCAA decided to take away seven championships awarded to North Carolina, including first- and second-round games of this year’s NCAA tournament slated for Greensboro.

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“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.”

The HB2 law, which has been roundly criticized by LGBT advocates and caused the NBA to remove its All-Star Game from Charlotte, requires people to use the bathroom that corresponds to the gender listed on their birth certificate. It also limits protections for the LGBT community.