“To the Haudenosaunee, the game of lacrosse represents deep spiritual and political roots, from our Creation Story, to our medicines, to our governance structure— since time immemorial.” https://iroquoisnationalslacrosse.com/
By Josh KronThe Iroquois Nationals rank third out of the 46 teams and 70 lacrosse federations in the world—nipping at the heels of the United States and Canada, and miles ahead of the rest of the field.
Last August, the Iroquois Nationals was excluded from invitation to the 2022 World Games, a stepping stone to the Olympics—the latest political snub faced by a team from a once prestigious nation now boxed in by generations of legalese. The scandal was resolved only after a Change.org petition and a boycott threat—clearing a wide open yet uncharted path for the team’s Olympic participation.
“They’re the creators of the game,” said Paul Rabil, a member of the U.S. national lacrosse team.
“Fast forward four centuries, and the transition of the game has taken root. … [The Iroquois Nationals have] the best players on the planet.”
CBC wrote an article back in March of 2021, where the Iroquois Nationals were left out of the 2022 World Games.
A tweet from Iroquois National player Randy Staats about the World Games sparked attention, leading to an outcry, says teammate Brendan Bomberry, also a Mohawk from Six Nations.
“We really saw the power of social media and the power of our voices that, if we speak up, we can make a difference and that was really awesome to see.”
The resulting uproar and the voluntary withdrawal by Ireland Lacrosse’s Senior National Team from the international competition caused World Lacrosse and the International World Games Association to reverse their decision and include the Iroquois Nationals in the coming 2022 World Games.
Read more here…..https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/iroquois-lacrosse-team-olympic-competition-1.5948810
