The "No Pledge, No Play" stance from College of the Ozarks means no tournament for the school.
The NAIA announced Friday that it was relocating its Division II Men's Basketball Championship to a new location, to be determined.
"The NAIA respects the rights of all of our members to determine the best course of action for their teams in regards to the national anthem," NAIA president Jim Carr said in a release issued Friday afternoon. "However, our first priority is providing student-athletes the best event possible and neither the NAIA nor the College of the Ozarks wants this issue to disrupt the competition or diminish the student-athlete experience."
Last month, College of the Ozarks, located in Point Lookout, Mo., announced it had revised its contracts in competitions in all sports to reflect its pledge to support the national anthem at sporting events.
Not only will athletes and coaches at College of the Ozarks stand for the Star-Spangled Banner, the opponent will as well, said school president Jerry C. Davis.
"We want to make it clear that we are not going to participate in a game where we think disrespect for the national anthem or the flag is being displayed," Davis told The Star. "I don't think it's a partisan issue. It's an American issue, how we feel about our country."
The NAIA said it encourages everyone to stand for the national anthem, but stopped short of making it a requirement.
From the NAIA's statement:
"The NAIA also understands that the freedom of speech _ and the right to peaceful protest _ are indisputable rights in the United States. Because the NAIA is made up of 250 diverse schools, the association believes it is in the best interest of the institutions to let them individually decide what actions are acceptable for their coaches and student-athletes."
College of the Ozarks has been host to the NAIA Division II tournament for the past 18 seasons.
