Major League Baseball releases statement on SB 1062

Major League Baseball became the latest sports organization to offer a statement on the controversial Arizona Senate Bill 1062, which would give individuals and businesses exemption from state law that is in conflict with their religious beliefs.

The statement reads:

As the sport of Jackie Robinson, Major League Baseball and its 30 Clubs stand united behind the principles of respect, inclusion and acceptance. Those values are fundamental to our game’s diverse players, employees and fans. We welcome individuals of different sexual orientations, races, religions, genders and national origins.

MLB has a zero-tolerance policy for harassment or discrimination based on sexual orientation, as reflected by our collective bargaining agreement with the MLB Players Association. Accordingly, MLB will neither support nor tolerate any words, attitudes or actions that imperil the inclusive communities that we have strived to foster within our game.

This comes on the heels of a Sports Illustrated report that says the National Football League is exploring options to remove next year’s Super Bowl from Arizona should the legislation be signed into law by Governor Jan Brewer.

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