After USA soccer passed a ruling that requires athletes to stand for the national anthem, Rapinoe – who kneeled down last year – says she will abide by it.
For much of the last year, the conversation in sport has been just as much about what takes place before the games start as what takes place during the action. As various players in different sports decided to protest various issues in America – social injustice, the criminal justice system, etc. – by either siting down or kneeling during the national anthem, it addressed a much needed national conversation while also creating some tense moments.
One of those athletes who took a knee was USA soccer star Megan Rapinoe. During her time on the American team and for her club team, Rapinoe showed her support for others who did the same thing.
Now, USA soccer is making sure that Rapinoe and her teammates are not going to be doing that when representing the country on the soccer pitch. A ruling passed last month and announced this weekend requires players and coaches to stand for all national anthems during games. Rapinoe, for her part, issued a statement saying in part that she will respect the decision (courtesy espnW.com)
"“It is an honor to represent the USA and all that we stand for…I will respect the new bylaw the leadership at USSF has put forward. That said, I believe we should always value the use of our voice and platform to fight for equality of every kind.”"
It’s a debate that is likely to continue as long as players continue to protest what they believe are injustices in this country. Fans came down on both sides of the issue and will continue to do so in the current state of our divided nation.
Related Story: USA Soccer Makes New Anthem Policy That Applies to Everyone
Those who support the decision by USA soccer believe that if you are representing the country in competition, you should support it unconditionally – while opponents will point to the irony that a country priding itself on freedom is essentially talking away a player’s right to protest. The governing body’s ruling did not lay out a set punishment for violation of this ruling, so stay tuned to see what happens in the future.