NWSL's Washington Spirit prevent Megan Rapinoe's anthem protest
NWSL's Washington Spirit prevent Megan Rapinoe's anthem protest
"It was a little nod to Kaepernick and everything that he's standing for right now," said Megan Rapinoe after she kneeled during the anthem.
BOYDS, Md. — Though Megan Rapinoe wanted to continue her stand in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick before the Seattle Reign ’s NWSL game against the Washington Spirit on Wednesday, she wasn’t given the chance.
On Sunday, the midfielder became the first active non-black professional athlete to display support for the 49ers quarterback when she took a knee for the national anthem before the Reign’s game, but on Wednesday night the hosts played The Star-Spangled Banner before the teams took the field for the game.
“In light of Seattle Reign and U.S. Women’s National Team member Megan Rapinoe’s public declaration that she intended to ‘take a knee’ during the United States’ National Anthem tonight, we decided to play the anthem in our stadium ahead of schedule rather than subject our fans and friends to the disrespect we feel such an act would represent,” the team said in a statement.
Rapinoe and members of both teams warmed up for about 25 minutes following a rain delay. They then left the field before the anthem and returned shortly after for the start of the game.
“To be honest I didn’t hear (the anthem) and I wasn’t exactly sure why it wasn’t played but (expletive) unbelievable,” Rapinoe said when asked about her reaction after the anthem’s timing after her team’s 2-1 loss. “Saddened by it. I think that it’s pretty clear what the message is that I’m trying to bring to light when I knelt in Chicago and what I’ve continued trying to talk about the last few days and what I intend to talk about and clearly with (Spirit owner Bill Lynch’s) actions, I think that that’s a necessary conversation.”
She also slammed the Spirit’s statement, which used the word "hijack" multiple times so close to the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
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