The Edmonton Eskimos have decided to keep their team name after "an extensive year-long formal research and engagement program with Inuit leaders and community members across Canada."
The team is facing condemnation from social justice organizations with claims that the term "Eskimo" is "racist" and discriminatory towards the Inuit.
"The consistent feedback was a desire for more engagement with the club," the team said, per ESPN. "There were a range of views regarding the club's name but no consensus emerged to support a name change. The club has therefore decided to retain its name."
The Eskimos noted that the extent of their research and engagement program "included meetings with Inuit leaders and community leaders in Iqaluit, Inuvik, Yellowknife and Ottawa; and a research phase with a combination of in-depth interviews with Inuit across the north and in Edmonton, and a telephone survey among broad group Inuit across Canada."
The Eskimos were founded in 1949, though other teams have used the moniker since 1895. The team is widely considered to be the most successful CFL team of the modern era, winning the Grey Cup 14 times beginning in 1954 and most recently in 2015.
The Eskimos' decision to retain their name comes in contrast to the Washington Redskins, which recently announced that it would be shedding its name over outrage stemming from contemporary cultural sensitivities.
