Washington Football Team's cheerleading program put on pause, report says
As the National Football League nears the wrap-up of a probe of allegations of sexual harassment and mistreatment of female employees by the Washington Football Team, the team's cheerleading program has been put on pause, CBS Washington, D.C. affiliate WUSA-TV reports. The pause is part of a larger rebranding effort for the franchise, sources tell the station.
As part of the change, Cheerleading Director Jamilla Keene is out.
Washington's cheerleaders were told about the moves on Monday, the WUSA sources said.
The word came four days after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said attorney Beth Wilkinson is "nearing the completion" of her investigation into the allegations against the franchise.
Keene's removal wasn't a result of that investigation, the sources told the station.
Team officials said they're re-envisioning the cheerleading program and are hiring a consultant to help.
The NFL took over the team's internal investigation into the allegations in September.
The allegations were first broken by the The Washington Post earlier this summer and came on the heels of the team abandoning its controversial "Redskins" logo and nickname, which had been used since 1933.