Redshirt sophomore linebacker Salamo Fiso and redshirt sophomore linebacker Carlos Mendoza raise their arms up to the fans after their victory over Wisconsin on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2013. (Photo by Dominic Valente)
After recent backlash stemming from fans wearing blackface at ASU football's game against UCLA, the ASU Athletic department has issued a statement urging students not to wear face paint in upcoming games.
"It is important for us to foster an environment in which everyone feels safe and accepted," ASU said in a statement issued this week. "Therefore, we discourage the use of face paint at any event."
In the statement, officials said that regardless of a game's theme or color scheme, fans should demonstrate their "Sun Devil pride" in other ways.
There is no word on whether or not face paint is officially banned from sporting events or if students will be punished or removed from the stands if they do wear it at sporting events.
Against UCLA, several students were photographed wearing black face paint, and the photos were disseminated as a signal of school spirit.
In response to these photos, members of the Black and African Coalition began writing a bill to be presented to Tempe Undergraduate Student Government to prevent similar situations from occuring.
ASU football faces Stanford on Saturday in a Maroon Monsoon game.
Reach the sports editor at icbeck@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @ICBeck21
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