Defying the wishes of U.S. Soccer, Megan Rapinoe once again knelt during the National Anthem.
United States Soccer midfielder Megan Rapinoe once again took a knee during the national anthem before the United States women’s national team game on Sunday.
She previously knelt before the team’s game against Thailand.
U.S. Soccer confirmed that there would be no punishment to Rapinoe for the first instance of kneeling during the National Anthem, but that the situation would be re-evaluated if she continued to do so.
Yesterday she stood on the sidelines alongside other U.S. non-starters during the national anthem of the visiting team, the Netherlands, then dropped down to one knee when the U.S. anthem started.
For her part, Rapinoe was frustrated that her protests were drawing more attention for the act itself than the issues of racial inequality and police violence.
“There’s so much talk about the anthem, so much willingness to talk about the anthem,” Rapinoe said Saturday. “So much willingness to talk about whether or not it’s disrespectful, whether or not I should do it on the national team, or whether or not I should continue, or whether or not I’m going to kneel forever, whatever. It’s just so frustrating the conversation is going that way. People are so quick to criticize me or judge me or question my intentions and not willing in any way to talk about what we’re talking about.
“And it’s difficult. It’s a hard issue to talk about. It affects everybody. But why are you not kneeling? And I don’t mean kneeling in terms of kneeling — like what are you doing? What is everyone doing to help? Because everyone knows that we have a problem in this country. Everyone knows we have serious issues to talk around racial injustice.”
U.S. Soccer has previously issued a statement that said, it’s their “expectation that our players and coaches will stand and honor our flag while the national anthem is played.”
We’ll see what kind of punishment, if any, Rapione receives.
