NCAA upholds Chief restrictions

The University of Illinois will not be allowed to host NCAA championship events unless it eliminates its symbol Chief Illiniwek.

Leaders of the NCAA today announced they were upholding the association's previous decision to restrict the use of American Indian mascots, imagery and symbols at NCAA championships.

The decision means the UI will only be invited to participate in NCAA championships if it does not have Native American references on uniforms or associated athletic program activities, according to the NCAA.

NCAA Executive Committee Chair Walter Harrison said the policy does not mandate universities discontinue the use nicknames or images, but it "preserves the sanctity of NCAA championship sites by precluding them from hosting championships events," he said.

"The University of Illinois is disappointed by the NCAA Executive Committee's final decision to uphold a policy that is capricious in its design and implementation," said UI Board of Trustees Chair Lawrence Eppley in a written statement. "The NCAA's insistence on dictating social policy for a few select member institutions intrudes on the University of Illinois Board of Trustees' autonomy and the board's process for reaching a consensus conclusion on issues regarding the Chief Illiniwek tradition. In determining a course to follow, we will consider our options in the context of the NCAA's final pronouncement and the consensus process guidelines adopted by the (UI) board," he added.

The NCAA announcement comes about eight months after the NCAA issued a policy prohibiting postseason competition events at schools with "hostile or abusive" racial, ethnic or national origin mascots. The UI was one of 18 schools included on the list of such schools.

The UI first appealed the policy last fall and the NCAA responded by stating the UI could use the names "Illini" and "Fighting Illini," but not Chief Illiniwek. Since then, the UI has sent additional responses to the NCAA regarding the use of Chief Illiniwek.

The UI has said that the NCAA Executive Committee exceeded its authority when it decided American Indian imagery was a "core issue" and that the NCAA set policy without following its bylaws. The UI has also, in its appeals, requested the NCAA to respect institutional autonomy and allow the university to address the issue.

NCAA upholds Chief restrictions