An article in the Insider Louisville reports that people are calling for Louisville Regional Airport Authority to rename the Louisville International Airport after famous boxer, humanitarian and Louisvillian Muhammad Ali.
Ali died on June 3rd and was buried in Cave Hill Cemetery in his hometown, Louisville, Kentucky.
An on-line petition was started on June 12th, asking for at least 500 signatures before the request is sent on to the airport authority.
The petition suggests the name Muhammad Ali International, with the three-letter airport code ALI. Currently, Louisville International Airport’s three-letter code is SDF, which stands for Standiford Field.
According to the report, a man named Robert Holmes III, a Louisville resident, started the petition.
The petition states, “His memorial service brought together people from all walks of life, rich, poor, learned, unlearned, regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, and religion.”
“His message was simple, peace, love, understanding, and using inspiration to maximize our human potential. Renaming Louisville International Airport, often times still referred to as Standiford Field (SDF), will bring attention to the humanitarian legacy of Muhammad Ali and our great city. Although some may see this as a simple name change, we have an opportunity to show the world our appreciation for Ali’s legacy and his life. It’s an opportunity to unite our city and the world in the name of Peace and Love. It’s what Ali was all about.”
Whether the name change will take place or not, that is still unclear.
