INDIANAPOLIS - The NCAA's Aug. 5 decision to ban ''hostile'' and ''abusive'' American Indian nicknames from its postseason events has stirred a new debate, and a threat of legal action from at least one school.

Florida State and Illinois are among the 18 schools with an American Indian nickname or logo that will be prohibited by the NCAA from displaying them in postseason events, starting in February. The names will not be allowed on team uniforms and mascots - such as the Fighting Illini's Chief Illiniwek - will not be allowed to perform at games. Even band members and cheerleaders will be barred from using American Indians on their uniforms beginning in 2008.

The decision quickly evoked passions and complaints from both sides. Affected schools were quick to complain, and Florida State - home of the Seminoles - threatened legal action.

''That the NCAA would now label our close bond with the Seminole people as culturally 'hostile and abusive' is both outrageous and insulting,'' Florida State president T.K. Wetherell said in a statement.

''I intend to pursue all legal avenues to ensure that this unacceptable decision is overturned, and that this university will forever be associated with the 'unconquered' spirit of the Seminole Tribe of Florida,'' he added.

The committee also recommended schools follow the examples of Wisconsin and Iowa and not schedule contests against universities that use American Indian nicknames.

While NCAA officials admit they cannot force schools to change nicknames or logos, they want to make a statement they believe is long overdue: It's time for the Indian names to go.

The 18 schools will not be permitted to host future NCAA tournament games, and if events have already been awarded to those schools, they must cover any logos or nicknames that appear.

The NCAA's move did nothing to end the controversy over the use of American Indian nicknames.

Wetherell, for instance, was upset the NCAA discounted a June statement from the Florida-based Seminoles, which gave the university permission to use the nickname.

An NCAA official said other Seminole tribes around the nation were opposed.

And at Illinois, spokesman Tom Hardy said the university would now have to decipher what the definitions of ''hostile'' and ''abusive.''

''There's no question that the university and the board of trustees are going to have to look at what the NCAA put out today and make a determination on how it impacts the institution and go from there,'' Hardy said.

At Florida State, Wetherell said the NCAA was trying to embarrass the school for using its nickname, even though the Seminole Tribe of Florida has given the university permission to continue using it.

''Other Seminole tribes are not supportive,'' said Charlotte Westerhaus, the NCAA vice president for diversity and inclusion.

Supporters also were unhappy.

Vernon Bellecourt, president of the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and Media and a member of the Anishinabe-Ojibwe Nation in Minnesota, approved of the ban but had hoped the NCAA would take even stronger action.

''We're not so happy about the fact that they didn't make the decision to ban the use of Indian team names and mascots,'' he said.

Harrison, president at the University of Hartford, said the executive committee does not have the authority to do that, and schools can still appeal their inclusion on the list.

''We believe hostile or abusive nicknames are troubling to us and it can't continue,'' Harrison said.

Brand and Harrison said they hoped school officials would pursue policy changes through the NCAA first, before going to court.

''I suspect that some of those would like to have a ruling on that,'' Brand said. ''But unless there is a change before Feb. 1, they will have to abide by it.''

But there were exceptions.

Brand noted that some schools using the Warrior nickname will not face the ban because they do not use American Indian symbols. One school, North Carolina-Pembroke - which uses the nickname Braves - will also be exempted because Brand said the school has historically had a high percentage of students, more than 20 percent, who are American Indians.

Two years ago, the NCAA also recommended schools determine for themselves whether Indian depictions were offensive. Among the schools to change nicknames in recent years were St. John's (from Redmen to Red Storm) and Marquette (from Warriors to Golden Eagles).

Other schools, such as Florida State, did not make the changes and now find themselves embroiled in a battle to keep their names.

''The rules as we understand them would have us cover the Seminole name and symbol as if we were embarrassed, and any committee that would think that is a proper and respectful treatment of Native Americans should be ashamed,'' Wetherell said.  Opinion: 'Fighting Sioux' nickname hurts Natives
Thursday, August 18, 2005

"I have many reasons for opposing these nicknames, but I believe there is one word that sums it all up: respect. To use my people as a mascot is completely disrespectful. The usage of my people - my family and ancestors - as silly logos for a sports team is totally degrading. I don't particularly enjoy being put on the same level as a Gopher, a Badger or any other animal. My people were not meant to be caricatured, drawn into a logo and slapped onto a hockey jersey.

I don't think it's fair that I have had to deal with this issue ever since I was a little girl. If this nickname never had been a part of our town, I never would have had to defend myself and my Native culture.

I don't want my little sister to have to deal with the same things that I have had to deal with over the years. It's not fair to me, and it's not fair to any other American Indian who has been faced with similar experiences."