The U.S. women's national team (USWNT) has called on the US Soccer Federation to repeal the banning of kneeling during national anthem policy instilled after Megan Rapinoe knelt during the "The Star-Spangled Banner."
In a statement published on Twitter last night, the USWNT called on the federation to issue a public apology to its black players and fans.
"We believe the Federation should lay out its plans on how it will now support the message and movement that it tried to silence four years ago," the statement read.
Rapinoe twice took a knee during the anthem in matches back in 2016. She said she wanted to express solidarity with San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who silently took a knee during the national anthem before NFL games to raise awareness of police brutality and racial injustice.
The U.S. Soccer Federation then approved a policy in February 2017 that stated players "shall stand respectfully" during national anthems. The policy remains in place, though the unions for the men's and women's teams believe it doesn't apply to their players because of their collective bargaining agreements.
According to reports in the United States, USSF president Cindy Parlow Cone and the board will meet via conference a call today to discuss whether the ban should be overturned, though a formal vote will probably not take place until Friday.
Kaepernick and Rapinoe each faced sharp criticism for the protest for years. But public sentiment has changed since George Floyd's death last month.
Floyd, a black man, died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd's neck while Floyd was handcuffed and saying that he couldn't breathe. His death sparked protests in Minneapolis and around the country, some of which became violent.
Additional reporting by AP
