Nine Zealand plans to withdraw the ‘All Whites’ name | Sports

Madison Gordon 3 years ago 2 min read

Wellington, New Zealand (AFP) – The New Zealand Football Association is considering dropping the “All Whites” title from the national team due to its racial connotations.

Although the NZF (the English initials of the Federation) did not confirm the renunciation of the name, the entity adopted a series of measures seeking to increase its cultural inclusion. The union asked its partners to make recommendations for a possible change.

The nickname “All Whites” has a short history. He was adopted by the national team during the 1982 World Cup qualifiers, the first time he had ever worn an all-white uniform.

Previously, the chosen one wore black shorts, with white shirts and white socks. He then wore a white striped, essentially forming the nickname “All Blacks,” the name of the national rugby team that plays in an all-black uniform.

“The New Zealand Football Association is immersed in a process of cultural inclusiveness and respect for principles (Treaty of Waitangi, the founding law of New Zealand signed between the indigenous Maori and the British Crown),” said New Zealand Football Association CEO Andrew Bragnell.

“It’s too early in the process to predict the outcome, but this is an important component of the work we’ve started to be the most inclusive of sports in Aotearoa (New Zealand).”

The Crusaders, the rugby team in Christchurch, had to scrap last year’s logo featuring a knight wielding a sword, a reference to medieval religious wars. He kept the Crusaders name because his fans opposed the change.

Several professional teams in the United States changed their names. The NFL Washington man has relinquished his title and the Cleveland baseball franchise will become known as the Guardians starting next season. Both had nicknames that were considered offensive to the indigenous people of the United States.