NCAA administrators, including vice president for basketball Dan Gavitt, apologized to women’s players and coaches on Friday and acknowledged falling short in regard to the weight-room disparities between the men’s and women’s tournaments.
NCAA vice president for basketball Dan Gavitt apologized Friday in a video conference with media, acknowledging the NCAA had fallen short in regard to the large disparity in weight-training facilities in particular at the men’s and women’s NCAA tournaments in Indianapolis and San Antonio. He also said he hoped the ensuing furor, which was publicized on social media, helps the NCAA do a better job with internal communication. However, coaches such as South Carolina’s Dawn Staley and UConn’s Geno Auriemma, whose teams are both No.1 seeds, said the situation is reflective of general inequality that women’s programs are accustomed to dealing with. The NCAA also has faced questions about differences in the so-called « swag bags » given to the men’s and women’s players, the food options available and the type of COVID-19 testing being done for both. NCAA president Mark Emmert told The Athletic, USA Today and the New York Times in an interview on Friday that the weight-training difference shouldn’t have happened. He said due to COVID-19 challenges, there was less communication and collaboration between the men’s and women’s committees, but added that was no excuse. He said that issues with food deliveries to women’s teams were being remedied, and that the differences in testing were linked to the specific testing providers in Indianapolis and Texas, but that the NCAA had confidence in both. As for the swag bags, Emmert said he thought they were of similar value, although social media photos suggest they weren’t. Gavitt said it was his role to oversee and coordinate all aspects of the championships. « We have intentionally organized basketball under one umbrella, with the goal of consistency and collaboration. When we fall short of these expectations, that’s on me, » he said. « I apologize to women’s basketball student-athletes, to the coaches, to the women’s basketball committee for dropping the ball, frankly, on the weight room issue in San Antonio.
