U.S. soccer must stand for anthem

MEGAN RAPINOE might be forced to join Colin Kaepernick in standing for the national anthem from now on. At least if she’s playing for the U.S. women’s national team, anyway.

U.S. Soccer revealed Saturday that its board of directors at its annual general meeting in Hawaii had passed a new policy that required players representing the national team to “stand respectfully” during national anthems.

FOX Soccer analyst Stuart Holden tweeted out “New Policy 604-1” which reads, “All persons representing a Federation national team shall stand respectfully during the playing of national anthems at any event in which the Federation is represented.”

The policy was passed by the board of directors on Feb. 9. Holden tweeted that U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati said there were no preset consequences for violating the rule and that it would be addressed if it occurred.

The new rule is presumably a response to Rapinoe taking a knee during the U.S. national anthem before multiple national team games starting on Sept. 16 against Thailand. She had previously knelt during the anthem ahead of a game for her NWSL club team.

Rapinoe said her taking a knee was a “nod to Kaepernick,” who controversially knelt during the national anthem before his NFL games as a form of protest seeking racial equality and social justice in the United States.

When Rapinoe knelt back in September, U.S. Soccer said it expected its players to stand for the anthem and disagreed with her choice, though no punishment was levied against her for her actions.