Redskins to drop controversial name and logo

WASHINGTON: The Washington Redskins confirmed Monday the team is changing its name following pressure from sponsors over a word widely criticised as a racist slur against Native Americans.

Washington announced earlier this month that the Redskins name had been placed under review after a wave of rallies against racial injustice swept across the United States following George Floyd’s death on May 25.

“Today, we are announcing we will be retiring the Redskins name and logo upon completion of this review,” the NFL team said in a statement on Monday. A replacement name was still being worked upon, the statement added.

Washington owner Dan Snyder had long resisted calls to change the team’s name but faced mounting demands to rethink that position as protests erupted against systemic racism after the death of unarmed African-American man Floyd during his arrest by police in Minneapolis.

Native American leaders had written to the NFL commissioner Roger Goodell last week demanding an immediate change of the team’s name, logo and mascot. Washington’s announcement was applauded by Ray Halbritter, an Oneida Nation representative and head of the “Change the Mascot” campaign.

“The NFL and Dan Snyder have finally made the right call and Change the Mascot commends them for it,” Halbritter said in a statement. “This is a good decision for the country ... it closes a painful chapter of denigration and disrespect toward Native Americans and other people of color.”