Redskins' name not 'acceptable'

One of the most famous names in American sports is coming under growing pressure to ditch its 80 year old name, the Redskins, by those who say the word is insulting to the country's Native American population.

Advocacy groups, the Washington district council and several members of Congress have already weighed into the issue, and now President Obama has become involved.

Reporting for the Today Programme is David Willis.

Jacqueline Pata, executive director for the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) said: "It's a word that at one point in time would've been acceptable within the country, but became no longer politically acceptable, and morally acceptable. Like the 'n' word.

"It continues to put us as second class citizens, it diminishes who we are," she added.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Thursday 7 November 2013.