From Plains Daily – In a media advisory, the Fort Totten North Dakota Spirit Lake tribe, which has been supporting the “Fighting Sioux” name for the athletic teams of the University of North Dakota- will make what it termed as a “major announcement” this morning at 10:00 from its Fort Totten North Dakota headquarters.
Updates will be forthcoming.
The announcement is – The Spirit Lake Sioux are suing the NCAA!
Some of the allegations in the suit from the grandforksherald:
– The two tribes are “indispensable parties” who were left out of negotiations leading to a 2007 settlement agreement between the state of North Dakota and the NCAA, so the agreement is void.
– The NCAA has over-reached its jurisdiction and infringed on UND’s copyright on the “Fighting Sioux” logo.
– By failing to take into account “traditions, ceremonies and religious acts that are sacred to the Sioux Nations,” including a 1969 naming ceremony at UND, the NCAA has violated the federal Indian Religious Freedom Act.
– The NCAA’s application of its policy to UND violates plaintiffs’ freedom of speech and the federal Indian Civil Rights Act.
– The NCAA’s description of “Fighting Sioux” as a “hostile and abusive” term “soiled the name and reputation of the Sioux nation” and amount to defamation.
God bless the Standing Rock Sioux.
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