Despite a UW System statute prohibiting weapons on campus, the West Virginia University Mountaineers will be allowed to bring their mascot and his rifle to Saturday's football game at Camp Randall Stadium, UW-Madison Athletics Director Pat Richter said Wednesday.
The university previously denied WVU's request to allow their mascot, a mountaineer with a musket, to shoot the musket during the game. This decision led many West Virginia fans to criticize the Badgers.
\We're very appreciative of the consideration they provided,"" said WVU Deputy Director of Athletics Mike Parsons, after hearing Wednesday's news.
Parsons said that although schools have requested the Mountaineer not fire the musket at games, this was the first instance of a university prohibiting the mascot from even bringing the weapon to a game.
""It's their institution and we'll do as they ask,"" he said.
UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley was the only person with the authority to waive the statute, Richter said.
""This is obviously very important to WVU and their fans, so we thought it would be best to seek an exception,"" he said in a statement.
The Mountaineer, who fires the musket at sporting events, debuted during the 1936-'37 school year. Each year a new Mountaineer is chosen and a costume is custom-made.
