Isis Devils refuse to change name despite being mistaken for Islamic State

We’ve had this name for a long time, we’re not going to change, says Rugby club's spokesperson

Isis Devils, an Australian rugby team from the district of Isis in Queensland, has rejected suggestions for a name change in order to prevent negative publicity.

Club spokesperson Kevin Grant says they would continue playing under its current name given its history.

Grant also hopes the terrorist group would cease to exist in the near future, making the rugby club sole user of the name ‘Isis’.



“We’ve had this name for a long time and other places can do what they like, really,” Grant said.

“We’ve been Isis for a long time. Newcomers come along and adopt our name. We’re not going to change. In the next six months they might not exist, with a bit of luck.”

The Isis Devils line up ahead of last year's Grand Final. PHOTO: Facebook

The Isis Devils rugby team made it to the Bundaberg rugby league final last year. Since the match would be televised, the club was asked to change its name due to the publicity it would receive.

Nevertheless, local residents of the district have supported Isis Devils’ decision to persist with the same name upholding the region’s history and tradition.

'Alarming emergence' of religious intolerance in Australia

“I have had a lot of people congratulating me for taking the stance that I did,” said Bundaberg regional councillor Tony Ricciardi.

The Isis district in the south of Bundaberg spans over 1,700 square km.

Known for its macadamia nuts and avocado, the region was established in 1870s.

This article was originally published in the Independent