MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The commissioner of the Southeastern Conference says the SEC will consider not holding championship events in Mississippi unless the state flag is changed.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey released a statement Thursday evening, saying in part, “It is past time for change to be made to the flag of the State of Mississippi. Our students deserve an opportunity to learn and compete in environments that are inclusive and welcoming to all.”
Sankey went on to say if the flag isn’t changed, “there will be consideration of precluding Southeastern Conference championship events from being conducted in the state of Mississippi.”
The statement is the latest to call for the Mississippi state flag to be changed to remove the Confederate emblem. Nation-wide protests in the wake of the death of George Floyd have renewed calls to remove Confederate symbols and monuments.
Some Mississippi cities are already taking actions to remove Confederate symbols. The city of Gulfport is removing the state flag from all city-owned buildings because of the Confederate emblem, and Ole Miss’s plan to remove a Confederate statue was recently approved.
