BRUCE PEARL: Conservatives are attacking the very college sports bill that protects women

Men don’t belong in women’s sports.

That isn’t complicated, but some conservative influencers and interest groups are allowing it to become complicated through careless claims about legislation designed to protect college athletics .

I spent nearly five decades coaching college basketball.

I know the difference between winning a possession and winning the game.

Conservatives now face a similar choice: We can chase applause by attacking allies and mischaracterizing the bill, or we can unite around the facts and win the larger fight for women, fairness and the future of college sports.

Some organizations and women’s-sports advocates claim the Protect College Sports Act would "gut" Title IX or invalidate state laws that reserve women’s teams for women.

They are wrong.

The text says the opposite.

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: COLLEGE SPORTS BILL ENTERS LEGISLATIVE 'RED ZONE' AS SEASON KICKS OFF Section 127 explicitly states that nothing in the bill will "override, modify, or amend" Title IX.

Female athletes would retain their current legal protections and ability to bring sex-discrimination claims.

Section 120 also protects athletes, employees and others from retaliation for reporting discrimination or participating in Title IX proceedings.

Critics also claim the bill would erase state laws keeping men out of women’s sports.

It would not.

The legislation establishes national standards for Division I and Division II competition on limited eligibility questions, including academics, professional status, legal violations, age and years of eligibility.