One of the most controversial issues in international lacrosse over the past five years has been that of Iroquois Passports. In 2010, the Iroquois men’s team was prevented from playing in the FIL Championships due to passport issues. In 2015, the U19 women’s team was also unable to leave the country and play for similar reasons.
Iroquois Passports – Now Updated?
One of the key aspects of this case has been the validity of the Iroquois Passports for international travel. This has been a decades-long standing issue. However, the most recent problems have stemmed from post 9-11 passport security updates, which the US, Canada, and the UK require. According to Sid Hill’s recent post on The Guardian, the Iroquois Passports will now meet or exceed the security requirements:
We have worked for several years to develop a new passport and identification that will be more secure than that of the United States, Canada as well as any other country. We are confident it will surpass encryption standards to meet security demands of the modern world.
For those who are interested, Hill also lays out why traveling on their own passports is so important, and what it means to do so. He also cites a recent example where he was able to travel on his Haudenosaunee document. Hill was allowed back in to the US after visiting Peru for a world conference (although that did come as a result of another country NOT allowing him to enter). The full post is well worth a read.
For those who don’t know who Sidney Hill is, he is the Tadodaho, or traditional leader of the Haudenosaunee People, including Onondaga, where the last FIL WILC was just held. He has held the post since 2002.
With the US recognizing Sid Hill’s right to travel through Miami on his Haudenosaunee Passport, and with the Iroquois updating their documents to meet current security standards, the prospect of the Iroquois playing next two FIL games where the Iroquois will compete in the UK (2017 and 2018) are looking a little brighter.
