The ban on signs, banners and flags at University sporting events was repealed yesterday in a statement issued by athletic director Craig Littlepage.
“The policy prohibiting signs, banners and flags in all U.Va. athletics venues has become a distraction and has taken the focus away from supporting our student-athletes,” Littlepage stated in the release. Rich Murray, associate athletics director for public relations, said Littlepage would have no further comment.
Before the repeal was issued yesterday afternoon, Student Council, ‘Hoo Crew, and the Student Athlete Advisory Committee encouraged students to participate in a Power of the Students Night at Scott Stadium at tomorrow’s football game against the University of Maryland. The protest was designed to express those student organizations’ disagreement with what the athletic department deemed a move necessary to promote a “positive gameday environment,” while still showing their support for University football players. The planned protest encouraged spectators to wear blue rather than orange, thus preventing them from contributing to the Sea of Orange, an idea encouraged by the athletic department since 2003.
Littlepage, according to the statement, encourages all University football fans to wear orange to tomorrow’s game in support of the Cavaliers.
Council President Matt Schrimper, meanwhile, said he was “ecstatic about the repeal” and noted that it occurred quite “unexpectedly,” given the fact that the repeal occurred just 15 hours after the protest was announced.
Similarly, ‘Hoo Crew President Kevin Dowlen said he was “completely blindsided by the news” of the repeal and felt that the “values of the University prevailed.” He said the repeal was one of the most unexpected events of his time at the University and noted that he was glad “students rallied behind a cause.”
Schrimper noted that the proposed protest for the game against Maryland has been called off and has been deemed no longer necessary because of yesterday’s decision. He also said Council is now looking forward to working with ‘Hoo Crew and the Student Athlete Advisory Committee to carry out the sportsmanship initiative initially proposed Wednesday as a possible exchange tool for the lifting of the sign ban.
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