NewsAmerica in Crisis

Actions

U.S. soccer rescinds policy that requires players to stand for national anthems

Posted
and last updated

U.S. Soccer’s board of directors has voted to repeal a 2017 policy that required national team players to stand during the national anthem, a rule adopted after U.S. Women's National Team star Megan Rapinoe kneeled in support of NFL player Colin Kaepernick.

The board made the decision during a conference call on Wednesday. The decision comes after USWNT released a statement calling on the federation to rescind the policy.

Rapinoe took a knee during the national anthem at a pair of national team matches in 2016.

She said she wanted to express solidarity with Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who silently took a knee during the national anthem before NFL games to raise awareness of police brutality and racial injustice.

After a season of kneeling during the anthem, Kaepernick entered free agency was not signed by an NFL team. He remains a free agent.