Smart Health Shop Forum Blog: As Final Four nears, NCAA voices opposition to Indiana law

The NCAA is speaking out against an Indiana law allowing businesses to refuse service to same-sex couples.(Photo: Tony Dejak, Associated Press)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The NCAA is "especially concerned" by a recently enacted law in Indiana, which hosts this year's Final Four, that grants businesses the right to refuse service to gay and lesbian customers, NCAA President Mark Emmert said in a statement released on Thursday.

"The NCAA national office and our members are deeply committed to providing an inclusive environment for all our events," the statement read. "We are especially concerned about how this legislation could affect our student-athletes and employees.

"We will work diligently to assure student-athletes competing in, and visitors attending, next week's Men's Final Four in Indianapolis are not impacted negatively by this bill. Moving forward, we intend to closely examine the implications of this bill and how it might affect future events as well as our workforce."

The measure, which was signed into law by Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana on Thursday, gives state businesses the right to not provide service to gay and lesbian customers based on "religious freedom."

The NCAA is headquartered in Indianapolis.

Whether the NCAA should host the biggest event of the college basketball season in a state that is potentially unaccommodating to fans and tourists of a particular sexual orientation is a "bigger decision" for the governing body to make, North Carolina State forward Abdul-Malik Abu told USA TODAY Sports on Thursday.

"I know that decision probably won't be based on moral views but probably more currency-based," said Abu.

"I definitely feel like that law is really backwards. You shouldn't be able to reject anybody based on what they believe in, definitely. That's the NCAA's choice."

The Final Four will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on April 4.

PLAYLIST: LATEST NCAA TOURNAMENT VIDEOSSweet 16: West Region's Arizona the scariest team left | 02:49USA TODAY Sports' Dan Wolken and Scott Gleeson break down the West Region Sweet 16 matchups. 

1 of 16

PLAYLIST: LATEST NCAA TOURNAMENT VIDEOSSweet 16: Duke's offense hard to stop in South Region | 02:05Scott Gleeson and Eric Prisbell of USA TODAY Sports preview Friday's games in the Sweet 16. 

2 of 16

PLAYLIST: LATEST NCAA TOURNAMENT VIDEOSSweet 16: Keys to a Kentucky upset in Midwest Region | 02:27Scott Gleeson of USA TODAY Sports breaks down the Midwest region's Thursday match-ups in the Sweet 16. 

3 of 16

PLAYLIST: LATEST NCAA TOURNAMENT VIDEOSSweet 16: Four dangerous teams in East Region | 01:53USA TODAY Sports' Nicole Auerbach and Scott Gleeson break down the upcoming matchups. 

4 of 16

PLAYLIST: LATEST NCAA TOURNAMENT VIDEOSSweet 16 preview: Potential Arizona-Wisconsin rematch in West | 01:48USA TODAY Sports' Scott Gleeson and Dan Wolken take a look at the West Region, where North Carolina's a sleeper and Sean Miller looks to finally reach the Final Four. 

5 of 16

PLAYLIST: LATEST NCAA TOURNAMENT VIDEOSSweet 16 preview: Upset brewing in South? | 01:57USA TODAY Sports' Scott Gleeson and Eric Prisbell map out the teams and names you need to know in the Sweet 16 for the South region. 

6 of 16

PLAYLIST: LATEST NCAA TOURNAMENT VIDEOSSweet 16 preview: East Region's wide open | 01:54USA TODAY Sports college basketball writers Scott Gleeson and Nicole Auerbach break down the exciting, wide-open East Region heading into the Sweet 16. 

7 of 16

PLAYLIST: LATEST NCAA TOURNAMENT VIDEOSSweet 16 preview: Shockers, Wildcats headline Midwest | 01:48USA TODAY Sports' Scott Gleeson and Nancy Armour preview the Sweet 16 in the Midwest region. 

8 of 16

PLAYLIST: LATEST NCAA TOURNAMENT VIDEOS5 must-watch players in the Sweet 16 | NoneWhile deep NCAA tournament runs are often driven off great guard play, this year's Sweet 16 will feature big men as difference-makers. USA TODAY Sports

9 of 16

PLAYLIST: LATEST NCAA TOURNAMENT VIDEOSMarch Madness Celeb Pick 'Em with Timbaland | 02:45March Madness Celeb Pick 'Em with Timbaland 

10 of 16

PLAYLIST: LATEST NCAA TOURNAMENT VIDEOSStars of the NCAA tournament round of 64 | 01:24USA TODAY Sports' Scott Gleeson takes a look at the most outstanding players through two days of March Madness. 

11 of 16

PLAYLIST: LATEST NCAA TOURNAMENT VIDEOSMarch Madness Thursday matches 20-year old feat | 00:32Yes, your bracket's busted. But so is everyone else's, says USA TODAY Sports' Tess Quinlan. 

12 of 16

PLAYLIST: LATEST NCAA TOURNAMENT VIDEOSTowns on potentially legendary matchup vs. Okafor | 02:47Karl-Anthony Towns talks about his intense desire to win Kentucky's ninth title and the possibility of matching up with Jahlil Okafor and Duke. 

13 of 16

PLAYLIST: LATEST NCAA TOURNAMENT VIDEOSMarch Madness Celeb Pick 'Em with Dwyane Wade | 02:10March Madness Celeb Pick 'Em with Dwyane Wade 

14 of 16

PLAYLIST: LATEST NCAA TOURNAMENT VIDEOSBracket Breakdown: Who can beat Kentucky? | 01:37The brackets have been revealed and March Madness is underway. USA TODAY Sports' Scott Gleeson breaks down the field of 68. 

15 of 16

PLAYLIST: LATEST NCAA TOURNAMENT VIDEOSNCAA tournament: Who got snubbed? | 01:23USA TODAY Sports' Steve Berkowitz breaks down three teams who had a case for a berth in the tournament. 

16 of 16

Last VideoNext Video