Redskins’ trip to London draws objection from British Parliament members

Jaguars-Bills was among the NFL games played at London’s Wembley Stadium in 2015. (handout photo via Getty Images)

It appears the controversy over the Redskins’ name will follow it to London — assuming the team makes its scheduled trip there to play the Bengals in October. Two members of the British Parliament recently sent a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell objecting to “the exportation of this racial slur to the UK.”

In the Feb. 2 letter, obtained by ESPN, Labour Party members Ruth Smeeth and Ian Austin wrote, “We were shocked to learn the derivation of the term ‘R*dskin,’ pertaining as it does to the historic abuse of Native Americans. The exportation of this racial slur to the UK this autumn, when the Washington team is due to play, directly contravenes the values that many in Britain have worked so hard to instill.”

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has canceled the Washington Redskins’ trademark. Federal trademark law does not permit registration of trademarks that "may disparage" individuals or groups. Here's a look at the Redskins' logo and team imagery throughout the years. (Video: Tom LeGro and Natalie Jennings/The Washington Post)

According to ESPN’s Mike Wise, Smeeth and Austin also asked the NFL to change the team’s name or, “at the minimum, send a different team to our country to represent the sport, one that does not promote a racial slur.” The league has been playing regular-season games at London’s Wembley Stadium since 2007, including three a year since 2014; the Texans and Raiders will also square off this season in Mexico City. The NFL is also scheduled to embark on a 10-year deal with Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premier League for a minimum of two games per year to be played in a new London stadium slated to open in 2018

The Redskins had never before taken part in the NFL’s “International Series,” one of just 12 (out of 32) teams yet to travel to London. According to ESPN, Smeeth and Austin were among members of Parliament who met in January with representatives of Change the Mascot, a Native American organization campaigning to have the Redskins choose a different name.

“We’re quite clear that sport is a vehicle for cultural change and celebration of what’s best about society rather than hate and division,” Smeeth told Wise. “That’s why bringing in new racial slurs to Britain is unacceptable. This is not the way we would want Native Americans introduced to our country.”

Smeeth also mentioned that the BBC, which is set to televise the Redskins-Bengals game in the U.K., may be at risk of running afoul of its guidelines on avoiding language that could cause offense. “Given it’s taxpayer-funded, if we believe it’s a racial slur, then that means problems for the BBC in terms of coverage of the event,” Smeeth said.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy tried to distance the league from the controversy, telling ESPN, “A team’s name is a club decision. We recognize there are strong views on both sides of this.”