A state appeals court handed a victory on Tuesday to Chief Illiniwek, the controversial American Indian mascot of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, dismissing a discrimination lawsuit filed last year by the Illinois Native American Bar Association against university officials, the Chicago Tribune reported.
The suit asserted that the mascot’s performance at sporting events creates a hostile environment for American Indian students, discouraging them from attending games.
University officials are still contemplating the fate of their 80-year-old mascot, which the National Collegiate Athletic Association has said must be retired for Illinois to continue participating in postseason tournaments (The Chronicle, September 1).
