Georgia’s voting law leads to demand for certain sporting events to be moved or canceled

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A leading black civil rights group is calling on the PGA Tour to withdraw from the upcoming masters tournament in Augusta after Republican Gov. Brian Kemp enacted one of the most restrictive voting rights in the country last week.

“The PGA Tour and the Masters Tournament are both committed to helping diversify golf and tackle racial inequalities in this country – and we expect them to not only speak out against the new racist crackdown on voters. in Georgia – but that they also take action. National Black Justice Coalition said in a statement.

The new law imposes new voter identification requirements for postal votes, empowers state officials to take charge of local election commissions, limits the use of ballot boxes, and makes it a crime to approach voters by line to give them food and water. Voting rights groups said the law would target black residents and other voters of color in the state.

The National Black Justice Coalition has said professional golfers should refuse to play in Georgia until the law is repealed.

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

Major League Baseball may also be faced with a decision. This year’s MLB All-Star Game is set to take place this summer at Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves.

The executive director of the MLB Players Association has said the union is ready to discuss the withdrawal of the MLB All-Star Game from Georgia, according to an article in the Boston Globe on Friday.

Tony Clark told The Globe that “the players are very aware” of the law, but “as far as the All-Star Game goes, we haven’t had a conversation with the league on this matter.”

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

The 2021 MLB All-Star Game is set to take place at Truist Park.
Previously, another sports league had changed its plans in response to another state’s legislation. The NBA moved its 2017 All-Star Game out of Charlotte, North Carolina, after a controversial transgender toilet law was passed. The law was later repealed and Charlotte hosted the All-Star Game in 2019.
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association, many of whom have championed social justice and racial equality, also condemned the new law in Georgia.

“SB 202 is a direct attack on the historic turnout and voter turnout in the November and January elections – elections where Georgians voted to elect Georgia’s first black and Jewish senators,” the WNBPA said in a report. communicated.

The statement added that the law comes after an election where minority voters made their voices heard in record numbers.

“This is a racist reaction designed to silence the voices of the people, mirroring the more than 200 bills in state legislatures across the country and aimed at targeting voters and suppressing democracy,” said the press release.

CNN’s Mallika Kallingal contributed to this report.

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