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Opinion
Editorial: Go to court to protect 'Chief Illiniwek'


"The NCAA ruled in 2005 that schools using what they refer to as "hostile and abusive American Indian nicknames" cannot host postseason games. The University of Illinois was one of 16 schools on the list to be subjected to the ban. The NCAA has exempted the names "Illini" and "Fighting Illini" from the ban, but not appearances by the Chief.

The ruling places the university in a difficult position. While it does not have any effect on the big money sports of football and basketball, it does affect some of the other sports at the university. In those sports, the Illinois campus is often used for postseason games. That's a reward for a team that has a good season.

So it's not fair to the athletes in those sports if Illinois ignores the NCAA ruling and doesn't host any postseason games. That puts the university athletes in an unfair position.

But there is some hope. The University of North Dakota - the Fighting Sioux - received a temporary injunction allowing them to host a football playoff game. The NCAA agreed not to fight the temporary injunction.

That may indicate the NCAA realizes its policy is too inconsistent to stand up in a court of law."

Get the Story:
Editorial: U of I should make Chief Illiniwek's case in court (The Decatur Herald & Review 11/18)

NCAA Update:
Status of Indian Mascot Policy (April 28, 2006)

NCAA Executive Committee Decision:
Native American Mascot Appeals Decisions (April 28, 2006)

NCAA Policy on Indian Mascots:
NCAA Executive Committee Issues Guidelines for Use of Native American Mascots at Championship Events (August 5, 2005)

Relevant Links:
Chief Illiniwek, University of Illinois - http://www.uiuc.edu/dialogue/index.html
Retire the Chief - http://www.retirethechief.org

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