An American Indian rights organisation has called on Premiership Rugby club Exeter Chiefs to change their 'racist' name and stop fans wearing traditional headdresses.
The Exeter Chiefs, who adopted the name in 1999 but have been known as the Chiefs since the 1930s, have so far resisted pressure to pick a new name.
But the National Congress of American Indians' (NCAI) chief executive Dante Desiderio has backed the call for change and has asked the rugby club to drop their logo.
It comes after the club's mascot Big Chief was retired last year following accusations that the branding is racist towards Native Americans.
In a letter to the Exeter Chiefs, Mr Desiderio called on the club to stop fans from wearing headdresses and drop the use of names for various venues such as the 'Wigwam Bar'.
The National Congress of American Indians' has called for the Exeter Chiefs rugby club to change their 'racist' name and stop fans wearing headdresses (pictured in December 2020)
In a statement, he said: 'The will of Indian Country is clear - Native 'themed' mascot imagery and the dehumanising stereotypes it perpetuates must go.'
Headdresses have been worn by Exeter fans since the club first rebranded as in 1999.
Other requests from Mr Desiderio included stopping 'uses of Native 'themed' collateral', including the use of the 'tomahawk chop' by fans, which he described as 'degrading'.
He continued: 'Out of respect for tribal sovereignty, we ask that you heed the voices of tribal leaders representing hundreds of Tribal Nations and the organisations that serve their citizens - not the voices of a few select individuals - when working to understand where Indian Country broadly stands on this issue.'
Mr Desiderio said the NCAI is committed to working with the rugby club to 'aid in its mascot branding transition', including offering a trial leader to share their perspective with the club and the community on the issue.
It is understood that there will be a full review of the Club's branding at the upcoming AGM, which will be held on November 24.
It comes after the Wasps asked the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and Premiership Rugby to review the wearing of Native American headdresses by Exeter Chief fans, describing it as 'cultural appropriation'.
The Coventry-based club was responding to an open letter from its own fan club when it raised the issue on
