The CIS ruling body is considering a major shift in the athletic landscape
The Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) governing body has discovered a set of rules that are believed to have been written by their founding organization. The CIS was first formed in 1961 and has been the umbrella under which 55 Canadian university varsity programs currently fall, including Concordia. In the archives of the CIS headquarters in Ottawa, representatives found a set of signed legislations from over 50 years ago that state all CIS teams must have a type of animal as their team name.
This past week, Leo MacPherson issued a statement concerning the recent discovery. MacPherson, the current President of the CIS organization, said that they are still unsure whether or not these documents are legitimate. However, he has admitted that if they are official, the governing body would have to decide whether or not to enforce this particular clause.
Concordia, considering that “Stingers” is not a type of animal, is one of the universities that may have to change their athletic name. Concordia’s athletic department has not released an official statement as of yet. But, like many universities throughout Canada, they have to consider a back-up plan if the CIS decides to uphold the original rules. Possible alternatives for the varsity teams are “Ladybugs” or “Bumblebees.” If they want to stay true to the “Stingers” name, another possibility is to change their name to the Concordia Stingrays. The clause does not mention any sort of colour restrictions, so it is suspected that the traditional maroon and gold look of Concordia’s varsity squads will remain the same.
The discovered documents and original set of clauses were signed by the two executive founders of the CIS, Dr. Lisa April and Michael Fools. The reasoning behind the clause is unsure, however it is said that April and Fools were both big supporters of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
The McGill Redmen are rumoured to change their name to “Butterflies.”
