Senator Calls on Governor to Allow SUNY Athletes to Stay in N.C. for Swim Tournament

Senator Patrick M. Gallivan (R-C-I, Elma) is urging Governor Cuomo to rescind his 2016 Executive Order regarding North Carolina’s so-called “bathroom bill” so that 13 SUNY athletes may stay in the state to participate in the NCAA Division III Swimming Championship in Greensboro March 20-23.

Ten students from SUNY Geneseo, two from SUNY Brockport and one from SUNY Cortland qualified for the tournament and look forward to representing their universities and SUNY at the national competition.  However, the governor’s executive order will force the athletes to stay in Virginia and commute to the tournament daily, putting them at a competitive disadvantage.

“The governor himself said during the recent Amazon deal that “putting political interest” first was inappropriate.  That is true in this case too.  It is unfair to make a political statement on the backs and lives of these student athletes who have worked so hard to reach this level of competition.  We should be celebrating their achievements, not punishing them for something they have no control over.”

Under Executive Order 155, all agencies, departments, boards, authorities and commissions must review all requests for state funded or state sponsored travel to the state of North Carolina so long as there is law in effect there that creates the grounds for discrimination against LGBT citizens.  It also bars any publicly funded or publicly sponsored travel to such location, unless such travel is necessary for the enforcement of New York State law, to meet prior contractual obligations, or for the protection of public health, welfare, and safety.

The NCAA imposed a similar ban on tournaments in North Carolina but rescinded it after the state repealed its controversial bathroom bill in 2017.

Senator Gallivan sent a letter to the governor asking him to re-consider the Executive Order and allow the students to stay in North Carolina during the upcoming tournament.

Watch Senator Gallivan's news conference: https://youtu.be/_rUfEYtO05M

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