Rapinoe, who plays for Seattle Reign FC and the USA national team, kneeled for the national anthem before the Reign’s match Sunday in what she called “a nod” to Colin Kaepernick’s protest.
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Just days after she took a knee in solidarity with National Football League quarterback Colin Kaepernick, Seattle Reign’s Rapinoe was prevented from repeating her protest against police brutality when the game’s organizers in Washington played the Star-Spangled Banner before the teams were on the pitch.
The Broncos issued a statement that read, “While we encourage members of our organization to stand during the National Anthem, we understand and respect it being a personal decision”.
Air Force veteran Bill Lynch, the owner of the Washington Spirit, ordered the national anthem to be played before his team and the Seattle Reign could both take the field, the Washington Post reported Wednesday night.
Spirit officials said they took the “extraordinary step” because they didn’t want to “subject our fans and friends to the disrespect we feel such an act would represent”, apparently unconcerned by those fans and friends who find the song about “bombs bursting in air” to be disrespectful.
“It was incredibly distasteful, 4 days before 1 of the worst tragedies in our country, to say I tried to hijack this event”, Rapinoe told Steven Goff, reporter for the Washington Post.
Washington Spirit owner Bill Lynch viewed the prospect of repeat as “hijacking” his team’s event.
Alongside Rapinoe, Kaepernick’s teammate Eric Reid and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane have supported the sixth-year quarterback with similar protests.
“I think it’s actually pretty disgusting the way he was treated and the way that a lot of the media has covered it and made it about something that it absolutely isn’t.
When I look at the American flag, I see a bunch of fights – how much we have overcome”, Marshall said.
The lesbian Seattle midfielder that knelt during the national anthem may have done it a second time, if the opposing team didn’t stop her.
“I support our players when they want to see change in society, and we don’t live in a flawless society”, Goodell added.
Rapinoe has previously stated that she plans to continue to kneel during national anthems.
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“We recognize Megan’s decision was offensive to some and a source of inspiration to others”, the Reign said in a statement.
