A petition to ban the Washington Redskins name from the public airwaves has been dismissed.
A law professor had submitted the petition to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in September, asking the agency to deny the renewal of a Virginia radio station's broadcast license because the station repeatedly broadcasts the word "Redskins."
The professor argued that the use of the name on broadcasts violated FCC rules against indecent content.
The FCC ruled against the request Thursday.
"Because the law defines profanity as sexual or excretory in nature, we cannot find the word profane," the FCC said in a statement.
Native American and other groups have demanded the team's name be changed, calling it a racial slur.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler had previously said he finds the name "offensive and derogatory," but that he hoped Redskins owner Dan Snyder would change it without any formal action.
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In an editorial in the L.A. Times on Oct. 2, Wheeler wrote in part:
Like your editorial board, I find the Washington NFL team name offensive and believe it would be appropriate for the team to adopt a new name. But my personal views are just that -- personal -- and should not be perceived as an indication on how the commission will or won't act.
Snyder has vowed never to change the name.
