Redskins keep their NFL nickname

WASHINGTON, May 16 (UPI) -- A federal appeals court in Washington has ruled the NFL's Redskins can retain their nickname.

The decision rendered by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ended a 17-year court fight with a group of seven Native Americans, who contend the nickname was racially offensive.

The court fight began in 1992.

The Washington Post noted that that the ruling backed a similar decision in 2008 by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, who said the activists had waited too long to challenge the trademarks.

"Eight years is a long time," wrote Judge David S. Tatel, who was joined in the 10-page opinion by Chief Judge David B. Sentelle and Judge Karen LeCraft Henderson, the newspaper said.

A negative ruling Friday would have cost the long-standing NFL franchise its ability to take action against merchants who use the name on shirts, jackets and other products and millions in merchandise revenue.