Iroquois to be Honored at NLL All-Star Game

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Special halftime ceremony to recognize Iroquois for standing tall during passport dispute that prevented them from traveling to world tournament this past summer

02/27/2011
The National Lacrosse League All-Star Game, presented by the Oneida Indian Nation, takes place at the Event Center at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY on Sunday at 2pm Eastern. The NLL has announced that a special ceremony will take place at halftime. The Iroquois Nationals Lacrosse team is scheduled to be honored for their defense of Native American Sovereignty this past summer in an event that drew attention and admiration from around the world.

This past July, the 2010 Iroquois Nationals lacrosse team comprised of 23 Native American premiere athletes was not allowed to travel to the Lacrosse World Championships using their Native American Haudenosaunee Passports.

Even though the Iroquois Nationals lacrosse team, the national sports team of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy was denied competition, they won however without ever playing by demonstrating to the world the continuing relevance of indigenous sovereignty in the 21st century. The Oneida Nation and the NLL will salute the Iroquois Nationals, who modeled this enduring struggle with dignity and the understanding that they were standing up for something to benefit seven generations into the future, as true ambassadors of the living Native American Iroquois spirit.

"We are pleased to be able to honor the Iroqouis Nationals team for the great character they displayed during an extremely difficult situation this past summer", said NLL Commissioner George Daniel. "We are proud to have them as part of our All-Star Game this weekend".

Several players and coaches from the Iroquois Nationals team will be recognized in the ceremony. Four of the NLL All-Star players are also members of the Nationals team: Brett Bucktooth (Buffalo Bandits), Cody Jamieson & Sid Smith (Rochester Knighthawks) and Jeff Shattler (Calgary Roughnecks).