Florida's Rick Scott Warns NCAA Against 'Woke Elitist Psychobabble' as State Considers Transgender Bill

Florida GOP Senator Rick Scott on Tuesday warned the NCAA Board of Governors that if they embrace "woke" stances in support of transgender rights than their entire organization may soon collapse.

The NCAA's leadership board on Tuesday issued a statement they "unequivocally support" transgender student-athletes' right to designate their own gender. The NCAA responded to numerous states including Arkansas and Mississippi who have recently passed bills which limit transgender athletes' ability to participate in sporting programs and tournaments. In Florida, the House GOP has proposed a ban on transgender female athletes joining girls and women's athletic teams at either the high school or collegiate level.

The NCAA board on Tuesday offered a thinly veiled warning to Florida and other states that they may ban them from hosting championship events should they enact any legislation which limits transgender student-athlete rights.

"The NCAA likes to threaten FL and other states. Well, here's a threat to the NCAA—the American people are not going to allow biological males to compete in women's sports. It's not going to happen," Scott tweeted Tuesday afternoon, responding to a Politico report in which the NCAA board warned it is "closely" following state-by-state transgender laws.

"If you keep threatening the public with your woke elitist psychobabble, the NCAA will not last much longer. Florida cannot be replaced, but you can be replaced," Scott warned the nonprofit organization, which regulates 1,268 North American institutions and conferences.

The NCAA Board of Governors statement which prompted Scott's remarks Tuesday did not mention his home state by name, but their remarks made clear how resolute the organization would be on the issue moving forward.

"When determining where championships are held, NCAA policy directs that only locations where hosts can commit to providing an environment that is safe, healthy and free of discrimination should be selected," the NCAA Board of Governors wrote in a statement.

Politico reported Tuesday that the league's implied warning to the state may have caused Florida state senators to pull back and delay the issue. A Lakeland, Florida, Republican senator who sponsored one piece of legislation pulled it back during a Wednesday committee hearing. As Politico noted, the move may indicate the state Senate has backed off the proposal.

Florida is among 30 states that are currently debating transgender legislation among state lawmakers.

Newsweek reached out to both Scott's senate offices Tuesday afternoon as well as the NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis for any additional remarks.