Two British lawmakers have written to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to complain about the nickname of the Washington Redskins ahead of the team's visit to London next season.
Ruth Smeeth and Ian Austin, who are members of the Labour Party, wrote in a letter dated February 2 that the NFL "should consider changing the name of the Washington franchise or, at a minimum, send a different team to our country to represent the sport, one that does not promote a racial slur."
The NFL said it received a letter co-authored by Smeeth and Austin.
"A team's name is a club decision," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said.
"We recognise there are strong views on both sides of this."
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
The NFL has been playing regular-season games in London since 2007. Washington is scheduled to play the Cincinnati Bengals on October 30 at Wembley Stadium.
The letter from the MPs said that there is "deliberate insensitivity and apparent hostility to a prominent minority group" by using the Redskins name. It said the "exportation of this racial slur ... directly contravenes the values that many in Britain have worked so hard to instill."
Many Native Americans and other groups have called for the team to do away with its name.
The team has maintained that it is meant to honour Native Americans, and Redskins owner Dan Snyder has said he will never change the nickname.
