U.S. soccer star joins Kaepernick protest

A member of the 2015 World Cup-winning U.S. women’s soccer team is standing, or rather kneeling, in support of Colin Kaepernick. On Sunday night, Megan Rapinoe took a knee while the national anthem played ahead of a game between the Seattle Reign, where Rapinoe is a star midfielder, and the Chicago Red Stars. And the 31-year-old said after the game that she will continue to kneel going forward as a “nod to” the 49ers quarterback, according to NWSL reporter John Halloran.

“The very least that I can do is continue the conversation with him by kneeling for the anthem,” she said following the 2-2 draw.

“I am disgusted with the way [Kaepernick] has been treated and the fans and hatred he has received in all of this,” Rapinoe told espnW’s Julie Foudy. “It is overtly racist. ‘Stay in your place, black man.’ Just didn’t feel right to me. We need a more substantive conversation around race relations and the way people of color are treated.”

Rapinoe, who is openly gay, related Kaepernick’s concerns about race to her own about gay rights in the United States.

“Quite honestly, being gay, I have stood with my hand over my heart during the national anthem and felt like I haven’t had my liberties protected,” she said, “so I can absolutely sympathize with that feeling.”

Rapinoe is the first athlete outside of the NFL who has joined Kaepernick in his protests. Prior to that, Kaepernick found an ally on his own team when safety Eric Reid knelt next to him during the national anthem on Thursday before the 49ers’ 31-21 preseason win over the San Diego Chargers.