NCAA ends South Carolina ban over Confederate flag

For over a decade the NCAA banned championships and tournament games in any state the flew the Confederate flag. South Carolina governor Nikki Haley signed legislation on Thursday that ordered the flag to be taken down from state grounds. Soon after the bill was passed, the NCAA issued a statement that the state could now bid to host NCAA basketball tournament games and championships.

We commend South Carolina lawmakers for taking this action to remove the Confederate flag from the Capitol grounds. For nearly 15 years we have specifically protested the flag by not allowing states like South Carolina to host pre-selected NCAA championships.  With this impending change, and consistent with our policy, South Carolina may bid to host future NCAA championships once the flag no longer flies at the State House grounds.”  

– Kirk Schulz, NCAA Board of Governors chair and Kansas State University president

Mississippi still flies the flag on state grounds and is still subject to the NCAA ban. The South Carolina flag came down Monday morning less than a month after nine black churchgoers were gunned down and killed at Charleston’s Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.