85.) The International Olympic Committee has just RE-APPROVED lacrosse as a metal event in the next 2028 Olympics. Create petitions and write to the International Olympic Committee that the Haudenosaunee Nationals must be allowed to play in the 2028 Olympics as a national team.(4 min. read)

In 2023, colonial politics do not belong in the International Olympics Committee.

Lacrosse was previously in the 1904 and 1908 Olympics but was removed. The question of why, has never been answered by the IOC.

Was lacrosse removed from the Olympics  because an Indigenous team won metal for lacrosse.

It has always been suspected by the Haudenosaunee People, that lacrosse was removed from the Olympics because an Indigenous team won gold metal. Was it because the IOC at that time, believed that the non-indigenous teams would never or hardly ever, be able to compete and win against the indigenous team.

If this is true, that is clear racism.

If not, then what was the reason.

The 1904 Olympics were low in participation of sport competitors and audience attendance due to geopolitical circumstances. So if any sport was going to be dropped from the olympics, that decision should have waited until participation from the athletes and the audience got back to a normalized period.

The 1904 Olympics were also a part of the St. Louis World's Fair. 

12 Nations participated in the 1904 Olympics.

The 1904 Olympics ran from April to October for a total of 146 days.

This particular open research on the internet showed slightly different accounts of the 1904 and 1908 Olympics. I offer this information and the following websites, articles and quotes with that caveat. As always, this is provided as a starting point for discussion in your circle.

myjournalcourier.com, July 21, 2021, 3:28 p.m. by Shepherd Price. Title of article- "Remembering the 1904 St Louis Olympics".  Adam Kloppe is quoted in the article: "There was a  shameful event at the World's Fair called 'Anthropology Day' when 'living zoos' from all over the world, as indigenous people from different regions were brought to the fair and put on display. The St. Louis organizers then forced these people to compete in some of the Olympic events. The rules weren't explained and their results were compared in an effort by the Fair to demonstrate white supremacy."

Theodore Roosevelt Center.com. August 7, 2021. Title of article - "The Controversial 1908 Olympics". By Francis Heldt. - "First time the athletes had to compete as a member of a national team rather than individually. First time gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded."

Historynet.com. May 4th 2018 . Title of article- "When blatant politics unfurled at London 1908 Olympics" by Scott Smith. "The Olympic Creed was created at the 1908 London Olympics by Barron Pierre de Coubertin and based on an address given to athletes at St Paul's Cathedral by Ethebert Talbot, an Episcopal Bishop from Pennsylvania." 

Here is that Olympic Creed:

"The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph, but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered, but to have fought well."

The International Olympic Committee is now obligated to give an answer to the question of why was lacrosse removed from the Olympics, after an indigenous team won in those earlier Olympics. 

Was it colonialism from that time period. A  time when indigenous people were thought of as animals, to be put on public display in a "human zoo" to prove white supremacy. All at the combined 1904 World's Fair/Olympics.

And now the main issue, will the Haudenosaunee Nationals be considered a national team by the IOC and allowed to play in the 2028 Olympics.

In the 2022 World Games, the Haudenosaunee Nationals lacrosse team were at first denied access by the World Games, because they were not considered to be from a sovereign nation. 50,000 people signed a petition saying otherwise and the World Games reverse their decision.

The IOC only allows teams to compete in the Olympics that the IOC recognizes as national teams.

Exactly what standing does the IOC have to recognize who is a nation and who is not. Exactly what is the criteria to determine this. If this is a voting issue, then those votes need to be revealed for transparency reasons. Who voted for, against or abstained.

Remember Article 65. "The Five Eyes"- the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. They vote against issues that would help indigenous people be recognized as Indigenous Nations.

(As a side note, sunday, October 22, "60 Minutes", the sunday night american news program on CBS, did the first ever group interview of all of the 5 top Intelligence Officers of the Five Eyes. 60 Minutes made special note to point out, that this was the first time ever, this type of interview was granted by all of the Five Eyes together. The Five Eyes said their main concern in the world today, is China.)

A grassroots effort is now needed to create petitions (perhaps online petitions) and write to the International Olympic Committee and demand that the Haudenosaunee Nationals be recognized as a national team and allowed to play in the 2028 Olympics.

Remember Article 82- It is now time in 2023, for the United Nations to recognize all Indigenous Nations as Nations.

It is now time in 2023, for the International Olympic Committee to recognize all Indigenous Nations as Nations and allowed to compete in the Olympics. The Olympics are about athletic competition, not colonial politics. 

"The most important thing in the Olympics is not to win but to take part..."

In 2023, colonialism does not belong in the International Olympic Committee.

Start the petitions and the letter writing campaign to the IOC.