RIPON, Calif. – Six cheerleaders are fighting suspensions after they flashed football fans a message on their underpants. Vice Principal Ken Goeken ordered the girls to serve suspensions Tuesday and Wednesday for defying their coach and going ahead with a special cheer they choreographed for the last day of the football season.

At the end of the cheer, the girls bent over, lifted their skirts and showed the crowd the words “Indians No. 1″ on their bloomers.

The girls — who missed reading scenes from William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” and fear their grades will suffer — are asking to make up coursework and instead be banned from cheering at an upcoming basketball game.

SYDNEY, Australia – Australian cheerleaders have been banned from baring midriffs by officials of the sport who fear displays of skin may encourage eating disorders.

Gymnastics Australia has ordered cheerleading troupes to find new uniforms by the end of the year.

Nerine Cooper, national cheerleading manager for Gymnastics Australia, said the decision, which followed similar moves in the United States and elsewhere, was needed because cheerleaders often performed in front of family groups.

“We don’t want girls to feel under pressure to lose weight because of uniforms,” she told Sydney’s Sunday Telegraph.

But Lisa Ince, head of Sydney Promotional Dancers, said the order was unfair.

“It’s ridiculous really, if the thinking is that a midriff is offensive, then every dance school and athletics club would face the same restrictions,” Ince said.

The ban will affect about 105 teams registered with Gymnastics Australia.

In the United States, the National Federation of State High School Associations issued a new rule for the 2006-07 school year requiring that cheerleading uniforms cover the midriff