SFU athletics drops ‘Clan’ team name
Posted August 12, 2020 4:36 pm.
Last Updated August 12, 2020 4:45 pm.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — After growing calls to change its name, SFU athletics is retiring “the Clan,” starting Wednesday.
Andrew Petter, president and vice-chancellor of SFU, says through an extensive process with stakeholders, resounding community feedback showed it’s time for change.
“[S]tudents shared stories of unsafe situations, upsetting conversations, and the harm they experience due to misinterpretation and/or misuse of the team name,” he says in a statement. “As a university that has made it a core commitment to foster a supportive environment for our students, we have an obligation to attend to their voices and concerns.”
RELATED: Student athletes to weigh in on SFU name change from ‘Clan’
While he noted there were several reasons behind the decision, it was the views from student athletes that was the most important.
At a meeting with student athletes in July, 97 per cent of those in attendance voted to change the name.
SFU is retiring its varsity athletics team name, effective today. For more information and updates on the name change process visit https://t.co/RtEiXTlVy3.#RepTheLeaf pic.twitter.com/9qwEUPaa6C
— SFU Athletics (@sfu_athletics) August 12, 2020
Until a new name is chosen, teams will compete under “Simon Fraser” or “SFU.”
The process of choosing a new name will start in September, and is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Gaining momentum
While petitions urged the university to change its team name long before this year, anti-racism protests and support for the Black Lives Matter movement renewed discussion about changing the name.
SFU started the review in January and acknowledged there have been associations with the Scottish nickname and the Ku Klux Klan.
Student athletes have spoken out about the embarrassment and shame the name brings, especially when travelling and playing in the U.S.
RELATED: ‘Extreme embarrassment when the name comes up’: SFU athlete advocates to change team name from ‘Clan’
Othniel Spence, an SFU student athlete, argued the name ‘the Clan’ shouldn’t be used in North America. He’s one of the students who spoke out about the name change, launching a petition to do so. He has also written an essay describing his experiences playing under the name.
“There’s a lot of criticism we receive from random people, whether it’s in the airport or its fans of the other team. That’s a whole different burden that student athletes at SFU have to take on. It’s very hard for us, and it can be very traumatizing for people of colour. I have extreme pride in playing for Simon Fraser, I have extreme embarrassment when the name comes up,” he told NEWS 1130 in July.
The name has been said to be a nod to Scottish heritage, but that has been debated by one professor who has been pushing for the change for several years.
-With files from Lisa Steacy
