‘[Y]ou folks at the NCAA don’t do anything except sit there,’ Sen. Kennedy said
Republican senators criticized National Collegiate Athletic Association President Charlie Baker for allowing men in women’s sports during a congressional hearing Tuesday.
One senator told Baker to “buy a spine online and take a stand” for female athletes, while another called the NCAA president’s failure to take responsibility “outrageous,” according to videos of the hearing.
After Baker conceded that men do have physical advantages compared to women, Sen. John Kennedy asked the NCAA president why his organization doesn’t promote fairness.
Baker said, “there is not clarity [on] this issue legally.”
Kennedy said:
Look, I’m sure the NCAA is a good organization. I just can’t figure out what you folks are good for. I know you take in bucket loads of money, and you share some of it. You make that money off the backs of these kids. Your predecessor, who was a good man, took home $2.8 million a year in salary. I’m not going to ask you what you make, but I bet you didn’t take a pay cut … You are allowing biological males to compete against biological females, and you folks at the NCAA don’t do anything except sit there, watch, and cash your checks and suck on your teeth … Why don’t you take a position on transgender biological males competing against females? You just told me it wasn’t fair.
In response, Baker said the NCAA is a “national governing body” that must “follow federal law.”
“Why don’t you stand up and say in front of God and country, ‘Federal law is wrong, and the NCAA believes in fair competition?’” Kennedy said.
“Why don’t you go to Amazon and buy a spine online and take a stand?” he said.
“Why don’t you go to Amazon and buy a spine online and take a stand?” – @SenJohnKennedy to NCAA President Charlie Baker
Senator Kennedy never misses 👏🏼🔥
pic.twitter.com/69WbsGVKV7— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) December 17, 2024
Sen. Josh Hawley also ripped Baker for refusing to take responsibility for allowing men in women’s sports.
Listen to NCAA President Charlie Baker hem and haw and blame everyone from courts to “the locals” for HIS policy allowing men in women’s sports. It’s indefensible – and he knows it pic.twitter.com/gyFUm5qvJ0
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) December 17, 2024
Hawley said that under NCAA rules, “if a biological man wants to use [the women’s] locker room, [female athletes] just have to accept it” or “find an alternative.”
“Why is that fair?” he said.
In response, Baker said the NCAA has “told the local folks who’ve hosted [their] tournaments they need to create accommodations for the people who are playing.”
Baker also suggested that federal law requires this policy. Hawley refuted his claim, saying, “The relevant federal law is Title IX, is it not?”
Baker attributed the confusion on this matter to the federal government, referring to policy changes under President Joe Biden that prioritize trans-identifying students over female athletes.
“Mr. Baker I can’t tell you how disappointed this makes me, but not just disappointed, frankly, infuriated for the student athletes who are suffering because of your policies and you won’t even defend them,” Hawley said.
“You won’t even take responsibility. It’s outrageous. It’s totally outrageous,” he said.
Similarly, Sen. Marsha Blackburn told Baker she is “disappointed there isn’t an NCAA policy to protect women in competition.”
“I’m still disappointed there isn’t an NCAA policy to protect women in competition. You all have had time to do this. Our female athletes deserve it.” – Sen Blackburn to @NCAA President Charlie Baker 👏🏼@MarshaBlackburn makes me proud to be a Tennessean
pic.twitter.com/Lxrkf9AAkN— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) December 17, 2024
“You all have had time to do this. Our female athletes deserve it,” she said.
MORE: NCAA leader resigns over transgender policy: It’s ‘massive, essentially authorized, cheating’
IMAGE: Josh Hawley/Twitter
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