During its annual general meeting on Saturday in Hawaii, U.S. Soccer announced a new policy requiring national team players to stand for national anthems.
Former U.S. men’s national team member and current Fox Sports soccer analyst Stuart Holden was on hand to snap a picture.
Per Holden, U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati said there will be no set punishment for not standing during the anthems, and that each violation will be addressed as it happens. The measure was unanimously approved by the U.S. Soccer board of directors on Feb. 9.
In September, U.S. women’s player Megan Rapinoe knelt during the national anthem before a game against Thailand in protest of social inequality and to show solidarity for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who took a knee during the national anthem ahead of NFL games last season. Rapinoe also knelt while playing games for her professional club, the Seattle Reign. The team then started playing the anthem while both squads were still in the locker room in an attempt to ward off any protests, with Rapinoe saying she was “saddened” by the decision.
