The Iroquois Nationals team denied a spot to play in The World Games
The Iroquois Nationals finished with the bronze medal in the 2014 FIL World Championships held in Denver, Colo. Photo By Scott McCall.
July 28, 2020
The World Games is an event held every four years following the Olympics, that allows many sports that do not get to compete in the Olympics to compete on an international stage. The next World Games will be in Birmingham, Alabama in 2022. The International World Games Association (IWGA) announced the 16 teams, 8 men’s and 8 women’s, that will be competing for the sport of lacrosse. The Iroquois Nationals team, which has been competing since the 1990’s was not one of the teams listed.
Not receiving an invitation after years of competing was not taken lightly, due to what lacrosse means to Native American’s.
Great connecting with you @BainbridgeSport
We look forward to communicating further and supporting our athletes who have been denied the right to play at the world stage #TogetherAsOne
— Haudenosaunee Nationals Lacrosse (@HAU_Nationals) July 26, 2020
The Iroquois were the first to play lacrosse, as they believe it was a gift from the Creator. The game of lacrosse, called the Creator’s game or the Medicine Game, originated with the Iroquois, and was then taught to the world.
The Iroquois National Team released an official statement on twitter saying “With the next World Games taking place on land where our ancestors once walked and played, it is more important than ever to honor and celebrate the roots of lacrosse.”
A statement from the Iroquois Nationals Board#TogetherAsOne pic.twitter.com/A9HIkfEV5F
— Haudenosaunee Nationals Lacrosse (@HAU_Nationals) July 24, 2020
U.S. Lacrosse, the United State’s National governing body of lacrosse, released a statement where they pledged their full support to The Iroquois National team and the Haudenosaunee people.
Lyle Thompson of the Onondaga Nation shared his frustrations on Twitter “So this is the same old story, different time in history.”
So this is the same old story, different time in history.
As native people we’ll continue to run this ever lasting track of hurdles.
it’s timeless and exhausting but must continue to fight.
The colonizers don’t want Indigenous people to be native. Want us to be Canadian/American pic.twitter.com/7dd3TVtThx— LYLE THOMPSON (@lyle4thompson) July 24, 2020
Many professional lacrosse players have shown support on twitter, along with all three of the North American professional leagues.
