NCAA under fire for disparities between men and women’s tournament facilities

Los Angeles, March 20 (08:58 AM PKT) (AFP/APP): Organizers of the hugely popular, and lucrative, March Madness US collegiate basketball tournament were under fire Friday for disparities in the facilities offered at the men’s and women’s events.

University of Oregon sophomore Sedona Prince launched the debate with a social media video of the “weight room” offered at the women’s tournament in San Antonio — showing a small rack of free weights with no benches or other amenities.

“Lemme show y’all the men’s weight room,” Prince said as her video cut to a well-equipped gym at the men’s tournament in Indiana.

Prince scoffed at the NCAA’s initial response that the difference was due to space constraints — offering video of the roomy, empty space available in San Antonio. “If you aren’t upset about this problem, then you are a part of it,” added Prince, whose tweet garnered reaction around the basketball world, including from NBA star Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors who re-tweeted the video with the caption “wow come on now!” Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving also called out the disparities on Instagram.

“Soooooo @ncaa This is how y’all are doing our Queens???!!!” Irving posted. “We can’t tolerate this! They deserve more!” NCAA vice president for basketball Dan Gavitt apologized Friday in a video conference with media, ESPN reported.