New Zealand Football is reported to be considering dropping the “All Whites” nickname of the national men’s soccer team due to the racial connotation.
While NZF has not confirmed it may discard the name, it says it is carrying out a variety of measures designed to improve its cultural inclusivity. The national body is reported to have sought feedback from stakeholders on a potential change.
The “All Whites” name has a relatively short-lived history. It was first applied to the national team during its qualifying campaign for the 1982 World Cup in Spain when it appeared for the first time in an all-white uniform.
Previously the New Zealand team had played mostly in black shorts, white shirts and white socks. It subsequently adopted the white strip and with it the nickname which riffed on All Blacks, the name of New Zealand’s rugby team which plays in all-black colours.
“New Zealand Football is on a journey around cultural inclusivity and respecting the principles of (the treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand’s founding treaty between Indigenous Maori and the British crown), chief executive Andrew Pragnell said in a statement on Monday.
“As part of our Delivery and Sustainability Project, announced last year, we are in the process of working with stakeholders across the game as well as people from outside football, looking at all areas of the organisation to make sure they are fit for purpose in 2021 and beyond.
“It is too early in the process to speak about any outcomes but this is an important piece of work as we strive to be the most inclusive sport in Aotearoa (New Zealand).”
Christchurch-based Super Rugby team the Crusaders last year were forced to discard a logo which showed a knight wielding a sword, because of the reference to religious crusaders of the middle ages. They chose to retain the Crusaders name because of fan opposition to a change.
Several professional sports teams in the United States are changing their names, with the Washington Football Team and the Cleveland American League baseball franchise dropping their previous nicknames that were considered offensive to Native Americans.
Nuxman
Roar Rookie
Probably everybody is bored with the subject by now but I was there at the time and the all white moniker was a brilliant marketing exercise to give nz football an identity of its own and it really worked so successfully that every other sport in nz soon followed,hence silver ferns,black caps etc.with the complete domination of nz sports coverage by the all blacks this was essential to gain an identity in the fight for newspaper coverage and growth of the sport. IT will be a sad day if this harmless but essential practice is banned!
Micko
Roar Rookie
Exactly, just anti-white nonsense!
ZaneD
Guest
And there's the certain reality that the ones who are who are supposedly offended by the name aren’t emotional or even care enough to post their thoughts here or anywhere else on the intrawebs. Could be because they just don't really care about the name? Looks like the only ones on a crusade :shocked: for change are a few ideological bean counters at NZF dressing it up as part of a broader review in order try and make it look acceptable.
Birdy
Roar Rookie
Love it PTA. The world is getting sick of woke and all things by the hijacked left.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Yes, being a white minority isn't fun in a lot of places apparently.
Ian
Roar Rookie
You beat me to that! How dare they call themselves the Tall Blacks.How insulting is that to our vertically challenged comrades?
Linchpin
Guest
So are you saying Maori's aren't smart enough to realise that the name was derived from the jersey colour only (like the All Blacks)? Way to be progressive :thumbup:
Chris Lewis
Roar Guru
what a load of rubbish. No progress in decades. What world are you living in
Chris Lewis
Roar Guru
Crazy, maybe some will be happy only when colour names are banned from the English language.
Midfielder
Roar Guru
Sad that this is an issue if you consider how NZ names its national teams... But the """Out Rage""' world is always on the look out for a soft target...
RbbAnonymous
Roar Rookie
The world has gone mad.
stu
Guest
Nick.....The Tartan Army, not terriers!
Bondy
Its about time this changed not one Maori follows their national football team I wonder why, this sporting team is completely ostracised from the rest of New Zealand sport because of that nickname . Hopefully it changes soon .
stu
Guest
Waz.....I think your post is reflective of how our 'English speaking' peoples think today on the subject of racism as a high agenda subject. 100 years ago the social norm was different and I would expect the same would apply 100 yrs hence. In light of the above, i can't grasp how you feel these issues have been swept under the carpet by our society today, the barometer will always be the narrative coming from most of our politicians (are they the middle aged men) as they will duelly reflect public attitude if they want to be re-elected. You mention NZF making these changes to become more inclusive, why....anyone can change a name, however if they are changing the name to become more inclusive they are identifying a name with a racial outcome, why must this be done. I ask this because I have not see evidence for the reason, I am looking here for the justified need, not a made up reaction to do it. Is it a brand name change just because it may offend as more and more corporates are doing. You mention being white is associated with racism.....correct, as are all the other skin colours. You can also include the people from this white region against the white people from another region (inter white if you like). My group against your group applies to every aspect of society, Iran, Iraq, Rowanda, Korea, Sth Africa etc etc. You mentioned whites would win the gold medal at being racist, right now the current social norms within English speaking peoples would not achieve that goal, there are other ethnic white societies and coloured societies that would win by a length. I am defining 'English speaking nations' as this is where the attitude is strongest on the past colonial attitude towards other races. Racism is a hideous attitude that will not be erased whilst man lives in a 'community' regardless of colour. Sadly the examples of the Holocaust, Rowanda, Cambodia, Yugoslavia etc etc are rarely considered when one group wants to harm another. Perhaps more energy needs to be made to keep the memory of these events at the forefront of our thinking rather that NZF changing a brand name.
Johnny J-Dog
Guest
My favourite was the Somerville House IT club. You work that acronym out.
At work
Roar Rookie
Fair call, I guess what we see pretty around the world is that most countries or cultures prefer their own kind.
At work
Roar Rookie
If you have to explain it then it’s not very clear is it PTA. And maybe you shouldn’t assume how all immigrants feel considering they come from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences. If NZF want to take the safe option and remove any potential concerns then that’s for them. If sticking with the All Whites results in no change, but moving to a more inclusive name is found to be a net positive, then I think we know what NZF would do.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Sounds disingenuous. So non-white migrants who migrate to a country well known to be founded through European colonisation and full of white people, are then going to be horrified by the national team being in an all-white kit and referred to as the “All Whites”, hence won’t support them?
Muglair
Roar Rookie
Good call Micko. A call for the football people of NZ. Head retracted.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
The review is a part of NZ Football's "Delivery & Sustainability Project". The scope of this you can find via their webpage along with progress reports.