British Parliament members lobby for Redskins name change
Two members of British Parliament are lobbying for the Washington Redskins to change their name.
The Undefeated’s Mike Wise reports that Parliament members wrote a “strongly worded” letter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell asking the league to change the team’s nickname. The NFL confirmed to ESPN it received it.
The letter, authored by Ruth Smeeth and Ian Austin of the British Labour Party, dated Feb. 2, expresses frustration at the team’s nickname, particularly given that the Redskins are set to play in London next season.
“We were shocked to learn the derivation of the term 'R*dskin,' pertaining as it does to the historic abuse of native Americans," read the letter, according to ESPN. "The exportation of this racial slur to the UK this autumn, when the Washington team is due to play, directly contravenes the values that many in Britain have worked so hard to instill.”
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The letter also discusses the fact that Wembley Stadium, where the Redskins will play the Bengals in October, has its own anti-racism charter. The Redskins’ name could cause issues in terms of television coverage, and the letter asks “at the minimum, send a different team to our country to represent the sport, one that does not promote a racial slur.”
