Washington’s NFL franchise is officially dropping the racist Redskins part of its name.
The decision is the result of an internal review, following pressure from team sponsors.
The ‘Redskins’ moniker was bestowed upon them in the 1930s by owner George Preston Marshall, an open supporter of racial segregation.
Washington owner Dan Snyder says they’re working on a new name and logo for the franchise.
Earlier this month, Washington's stadium sponsor FedEx formally requested a name change.
However, the requests for a name change - particularly from the Native American community - long predate any sponsor pressure.
Fawn Sharp is president of the National Congress of American Indians, and she penned an open letter demanding an urgent change of the franchise's name.
"Just as you would never play for the Washington [insert any other racial slur],” she argued, "Players shouldn’t play for a “team branded with a racial slur against Native Americans.”
In 2013, owner Snyder said he would never change the team's name as long as he was alive.
Washington statement:
On July 3rd, we announced the commencement of a thorough review of the team's name. That review has begun in earnest.
As part of this process, we want to keep our sponsors, fans and community apprised of our thinking as we go forward.
Today, we are announcing we will be retiring the Redskins name and logo upon completion of this review.
Dan Snyder and Coach Rivera are working closely to develop a new name and design approach that will enhance the standing of our proud, tradition rich franchise and inspire our sponsors, fans and community for the next 100 years.
Download the brand new OffTheBall App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered!
Subscribe to OffTheBall's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.
