Americans Want to See the Haudenosaunee Nationals in the Olympics
New polling finds two-thirds of American likely voters reject the International Olympic Committee's assimilationist stance and support the Haudenosaunee becoming the first Indigenous nation to secure an Olympic berth.
By Jason Katz-Brown
I realized through playing lacrosse it is more than just a game for me. It’s medicine. When I play I try my hardest because it’s my responsibility as a mother to set an example as a strong Onkwehonwe woman on and off the floor, paving the way for generations to come. There’s no better feeling than representing our people. Thiya’tewenhniserá:ke kahkwíhserons.
—Joni Squire-Hill, Haudenosaunee Nationals
Lacrosse is returning to the Olympic Games in 2028 for the first time in more than a century.
The United States is currently No. 1 in the men’s lacrosse world rankings. The third-ranked team is the Haudenosaunee Nationals, representing six Indigenous nations spanning from central New York into Canada. Squire-Hill and the women’s team recently took bronze at the prestigious LAXNAI tournament and are ranked eighth in the world.
The sport originated with Indigenous peoples of North America, dating back to the 12th century. In the Haudenosaunee nations, lacrosse has been played for centuries, revered as a celebration of strength, fair play, and leadership, and spiritually as a “medicine game.”
The International Olympic Committee has stated that Haudenosaunee Nationals are not eligible for the Olympic Games because they don't represent a country with a national Olympic committee, and that their players would only be eligible to compete for the U.S. or Canada.
New Data for Progress polling finds voters across the country and across the political spectrum strongly support the Haudenosaunee Nationals competing in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Two-thirds (66%) of likely voters think the International Olympic Committee should allow the Haudenosaunee Nationals to compete. This includes strong majorities of Independents and Republicans.
Earlier this month, President Biden announced his support for the Haudenosaunee Nationals: “Their ancestors invented the game. They perfected it for millennia. Their circumstances are unique. They should be granted an exception to field their own team at the Olympics.”
Like the president, the vast majority of Americans reject the International Olympic Committee’s assimilationism and are firmly behind the Haudenosaunee Nationals.
Jason Katz-Brown (@jasonkatzbrown) is a senior advisor at Data for Progress.
Survey Methodology
From December 15 to 17, 2023, Data for Progress conducted a survey of 1,229 U.S. likely voters nationally using web panel respondents. The sample was weighted to be representative of likely voters by age, gender, education, race, geography, and voting history. The survey was conducted in English. The margin of error is ±3 percentage points.