A senator is calling for an independent investigation into disparities in accommodations between male and female players at the NCAA’s March Madness basketball tournament.
In a letter to NCAA President Mark Emmert on Monday, Sen. Tina Smith, a Democratic senator from Minnesota, called the differences “unacceptable.”
“In recent days, there have been social media reports and additional reporting on disparate treatment for athletes and teams participating in the 2021 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments,” she said in a copy of the letter obtained by the Washington Examiner. “And although the history of different levels of support and resources provided to men’s and women’s athletics has been a longstanding problem, the major differences in the quality of the facilities and weight rooms, swag and food provided to players and teams this year were an obvious issue.”
SUPREME COURT TO DECIDE THE FUTURE OF STUDENT-ATHLETE PAY IN NCAA
The tournament’s controversy began after images and video of the differences began to be shared on social media.
In one widely viewed video, Sedona Price, a player for the Oregon Ducks, showed the difference between the lavish weight room provided for male players and a single rack of dumbbells provided for the female players.
Let me put it on Twitter too cause this needs the attention pic.twitter.com/t0DWKL2YHR
— Sedona Prince (@sedonaprince_) March 19, 2021
The NCAA has since apologized and provided more equipment for the women’s teams.
“I want to be really clear,” Emmert said to reporters on Friday. “This is not something that should have happened and, should we ever conduct a tournament like this again, will ever happen again.”
University of Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma told reporters on Friday that while the school’s male players were receiving PCR coronavirus tests, the female players were being tested with antigen tests, which are less accurate.
The NCAA has acknowledged that different tests have been used between the different genders.
“I’m not a medical expert so not going to get into a debate about PCR and antigen,” Emmert said. “All of the health experts say the protocol that they’re using right now in all our venues and all our championships is one that has no difference at all in our ability to mitigate risk”
Smith told the organization: “Taken together these disparities present a clear picture of devaluing the women’s players, teams and tournament as a whole.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“Too often women’s athletics is not supported or valued similarly as men’s — the NCAA should not act in a manner that reinforces these inequities, instead it must actively work against them,” the senator said. “For these reasons, I believe it is necessary for an independent investigation to examine how the NCAA’s preparations and operations led to this situation and provide clear recommendations for systemic reform going forward.”
The NCAA did not immediately respond to the Washington Examiner‘s request for comment on the senator’s letter.
