'War Chant' Will No Longer Be Played At University Of Illinois Sporting Events
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — A University of Illinois is ending its tradition of playing "war chant " music during sporting events, an athletic department spokesman Kent Brown said.
The Illini made the decision in an effort to be more inclusive and because students haven't responded to it as much at football games recently, Brown said. The music stems from the school's former mascot, Chief Illiniwek. American Indians and the NCAA pushed the university for years to do away with Chief Illiniwek, which Illinois did in 2007.
Brown says the decision to stop using the music was made at the end of last football season. It wasn't publicized until Thursday when athletic department representatives asked members of the student group Illini Pride to stop playing the song on a drum at a soccer game.