Georgia voting law leads to calls for some sports events to be moved or canceled


A number one Black civil rights group is looking on the PGA Tour to pull out of the upcoming Masters Tournament in Augusta after Republican Gov. Brian Kemp final week signed into law one of many nation’s most restrictive voting rights.

“The PGA Tour and Masters Tournament have both made commitments to help diversify golf and address racial inequities in this country — and we expect them to not only speak out against Georgia’s new racist voter suppression law — but to also take action,” the National Black Justice Coalition mentioned in an announcement.

The new law imposes new voter identification necessities for absentee ballots, empowers state officers to take over native elections boards, limits the usage of poll drop bins and makes it a criminal offense to method voters in line to give them meals and water. Voting rights teams have mentioned the law would target the Black residents and different voters of shade within the state.

The National Black Justice Coalition mentioned skilled golfers ought to refuse to play in Georgia till the law is repealed.

CNN has reached out to Augusta National and PGA Tour for remark.

Major League Baseball might also be confronted with a choice. This yr’s MLB All-Star Game is scheduled to happen this summer season at Truist Park — dwelling of the Atlanta Braves.

The govt director of the MLB Players Association says the union is open to discussing pulling the MLB All-Star sport out of Georgia, in accordance to a story published by Boston Globe on Friday.

Tony Clark advised the Globe that “players are very much aware” of the law, however “as it relates to the All-Star Game, we have not had a conversation with the league on that issue.”

CNN has reached out to MLB and the MLB Players Association for remark.

Previously, one other sporting league modified its plans in response to one other state’s laws. The NBA moved its 2017 All-Star game out of Charlotte, North Carolina, after a controversial transgender lavatory law was handed. The law was later repealed, and Charlotte hosted the All-Star Game in 2019.
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association, many members of which have been champions for social justice and racial equality, has additionally condemned the brand new law in Georgia.

“SB 202 is a direct attack on the historic turnout and participation by voters during the November and January elections — elections where Georgians voted to elect the first Black and Jewish senators from Georgia,” the WNBPA mentioned in an announcement.

The assertion provides that the law comes after an election the place minority voters made their voices heard in report numbers.

“This is a racist backlash designed to silence the people’s voices, mirroring the over 200 bills in state legislatures across the country designed to target voters and suppress democracy,” the assertion mentioned.

CNN’s Mallika Kallingal contributed to this report.



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