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| Washington Redskins to retire controversial team name following review | Washington Redskins to retire controversial team name following review |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The Washington Redskins American football team has said it will retire its name, long criticised as racist. | The Washington Redskins American football team has said it will retire its name, long criticised as racist. |
| In a statement, the team said it would "be retiring the Redskins name and logo upon completion of a review" demanded by its sponsors. | In a statement, the team said it would "be retiring the Redskins name and logo upon completion of a review" demanded by its sponsors. |
| Its major sponsors recently threatened to pull funding from the NFL team unless it considered renaming itself. | Its major sponsors recently threatened to pull funding from the NFL team unless it considered renaming itself. |
| The Washington DC-based team has faced years of pressure over a name seen as offensive to Native Americans. | The Washington DC-based team has faced years of pressure over a name seen as offensive to Native Americans. |
| Team owner Dan Synder had been a boyhood fan of the team - which was named the Redskins in 1933 when it was still based in Boston - and had vowed to never change the moniker of the 87-year-old team. | |
| But amid protests over police brutality and racism, major sponsors FedEx, Nike, Pepsi and Bank of America all called on Mr Snyder to consider finally changing the name. | But amid protests over police brutality and racism, major sponsors FedEx, Nike, Pepsi and Bank of America all called on Mr Snyder to consider finally changing the name. |
| Last week, Amazon, Walmart and Target, Nike and and other retail stores removed team merchandise from their websites. ESPN also said it would stop using the team logo, which depicts a Native American man. | Last week, Amazon, Walmart and Target, Nike and and other retail stores removed team merchandise from their websites. ESPN also said it would stop using the team logo, which depicts a Native American man. |
| The announcement does not immediately change the name of the team, and a new one must be chosen before the 2020 season begins in September. The team's official website maintains the current team name, as does the team's official Twitter handle. | |
| Some names that have been suggested as replacements include the Washington Senators; the Washington Warriors; and the Washington Red Tails. | |
| The NFL team is not the first Washington DC sports franchise to change it name amid shifting cultural attitudes. | |
| In 1995, the NBA's Washington Bullets were renamed the Wizards after the team owner said he had become uncomfortable with the name's violent overtones. | |
| The Redskins moved to Washington DC in 1937 and was founded by businessman George Person Marshall, who believed in racial segregation. | |
| They were the last team to allow black players onto the team, and only did so after the government threatened to revoke the lease on their stadium in 1962. | |
| Last month, a statue of Marshall was removed from the stadium's grounds after it was vandalised. |