UND denied meet invite over Fighting Sioux name

February 27, 2012

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IOWA CITY, Iowa—The University of Iowa has decided not to invite the University of North Dakota to an April track meet because of the school's Fighting Sioux nickname.

The Iowa City Press-Citizen ( http://icp-c.com/wgG1UN) reported Monday that associate athletic director Mark Abbott says Iowa decided against the invitation when UND re-instated the name earlier this month.

Iowa policy prohibits the athletic department from scheduling competitions with schools or attending tournaments hosted by schools using Native American mascots, unless those mascots are approved by the NCAA.

Abbot says Illinois, whose Fighting Illini mascot has come under fire, is exempt from the policy because of contractual obligations within the Big Ten Conference.

Other exemptions include games that Iowa has no control over scheduling, such as bowl games, and NCAA or conference-sponsored competitions.

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Information from: Iowa City Press-Citizen, http://www.press-citizen.com/