Following the death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement, there are a lot of questions around things that used to be considered a consensus, and what these things mean to individuals. This dilemma manifests itself in US sports also, whereas major league American sports that are so close to the hears of millions are heading towards an inevitable argument on how athletes and fans should be allowed to express themselves before, during and after a sporting events whilst representing their team.
When the COVID-19 pandemic is finally over and sports will return from the forced break, major sports leagues will not only have to deal with public health and safety concerns, but also with the delicate balance over how and when athletes and fans will be able to protest, honor and advocate social change and equality, whilst still filling their unspoken duties of including and representing their team, league and country.
This isn’t the first time the debate is being sparked, with former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Collin Kaepernick taking a bow during the playing of the national anthem before NFL games back in 2016, peacefully protesting police brutality. Kaepernick left the league at the end of that season, opting out of his contract with the 49ers. He later sued the league over alleged collusion over refusing to sign him at any team, and ended up settling with the NFL in a confidential agreement.
In a speech in Alabama a year later, US President Donald Trump slammed those who protest, referring to them as no less than “sons of bitches”: “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when someone disrespects our flag, to say ‘get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out. He’s fired. He’s fired’.”
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The controversy Kaepernick than brought to the center of attention may have died down a bit, but it never actually went away. And with the death of George Floyd, it came back with a lot more force. And although it may have been ignited in the NFL, the debate extends across all major sports in America.
U.S. Soccer is no stranger to debates on equal rights and protest, with the US Women National Team player Megan Rapinoe emulating Kaepernick in 2016 and protesting before a USWNT game against Thailand by keeling during the anthem. Rapinoe said she did it to show solidary with Kaepernick. In response, the U.S. Soccer Federation passed in 2017 Policy 604-1 which states: “All persons representing the Federation national team shall stand respectfully during the playing of national anthems at any event in which the Federation is represented.” In response, Rapinoe said she will honor the policy and she did so.
Currently the U.S. Soccer Federation’s board of directors is looking into repealing the policy. President Cindy Parlow Cone called the board to meet and discuss the policy this week, with the board likely to take a vote on Friday.