Public Relations

Navajo president criticizes NIGA for withdrawing from event

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly. Photo by Rick Abasta/Navajo Nation Office of the President and Vice President

The leader of the Navajo Nation was "disappointed" with the National Indian Gaming Association for pulling out of a fundraiser last weekend.

Navajo President Ben Shelly and his office co-sponsored The Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation 1st Annual KTNN Celebrity Golf Tournament. He acknowledged the controversy surrounding the event.

"I believe we lost one sponsor, which is National Indian Gaming Association. I'm very disappointed in them," Shelly said at the event, The Navajo Times reported.

Shelly, however, misspoke. The Notah Begay III Foundation, which was was started by Navajo / Pueblo golfer Notah Begay III, also withdrew after learning of the association with the Washington team.

And the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise, a tribal entity, said it would have pulled out had it known about the team's involvement.

Get the Story:
Sponsors pull from KTNN fundraiser due to Redskins involvement (The Navajo Times 4/17)