NCAA's Mark Emmert on Inequality After George Floyd Killing: 'We Can Do Better'

NCAA President Mark Emmert issued a statement Sunday on the killing of George Floyd and the growing calls for action to address police brutality and systemic racism. 

Emmert said Floyd's killing "laid bare the continued existence of inequality and injustice in America." He added that sports have helped serve as a vehicle for social activism and those involved should "commit ourselves individually and collectively to examining what we can do to make our society more just and equal."

"We have not done enough: we can do better," he said.

Four police officers from the Minneapolis Police Department approached Floyd on May 25 while responding to an alleged forgery and eventually arrested him. During the arrest, officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on Floyd's neck and remained there for nearly nine minutes despite Floyd indicating he couldn't breathe.

Chauvin was later charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter after Floyd was killed.

In recent days, a number of prominent college coaches have spoken out with comments similar to Emmert's.

North Carolina Central men's basketball coach LeVelle Moton called upon his colleagues to be more vocally supportive of their student-athletes on matters of social injustice.

Texas football head coach Tom Herman also spoke with the Austin American-Statesman's Brian Davis and noted fans can hold a "double standard" about black players.

"We're gonna cheer when they score touchdowns, and we're gonna hug our buddy when they get sacks or an interception," Herman said. "But we gonna let them date our daughter? Are we going to hire them in a position of power in our company? That's the question I have for America. You can't have it both ways."