James Anaya, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous peoples, called the mascot a “hurtful reminder” of the long history of mistreatment of Native Americans in the United States, in a release.

Anaya said that while he understood the debate surrounding the team’s name, the term “redskins” is inextricably linked to a history of suffering and oppression.

“It is understood to be a pejorative and disparaging term that fails to respect and honor the historical and cultural legacy of the Native Americans in the US,” he said.