Donald Trump Criticizes MLS Players Who Kneel While The American National Anthem Is Sung
JAKARTA - The American football league (MLS) and American baseball league (MLB) players continue to show their support for the Black Lives Matter movement by kneeling while the song Star Splanged-Banner reverberates. However, again, President Donald Trump criticized the action.
As in the Premier League, players, coaches and official staff in MLS perform a kneeling action before the start of every match in MLS.
"Looking forward to watching a live sporting match, but every time I watch a player kneel during the national anthem, a sign of great disrespect for our country and flag, the game is over for me!" Trump wrote on his Twitter account which was launched by Antara, Wednesday, July 22.
Looking forward to live sports, but any time I witness a player kneeling during the National Anthem, a sign of great disrespect for our Country and our Flag, the game is over for me!
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 21, 2020
The kneeling protest began with NFL athlete Colin Kaepernick in 2016. Other players followed suit, raising their fists to protest the racial inequality that was first perpetrated by American athletes John Carlos and Tommie Smith at the 1968 Mexico Olympics.
Kaepernick has been heavily criticized by Trump and the US Soccer board of directors passed a law in 2017 requiring players to 'defend' The Star-Spangled Banner before games.
However, given the renewed focus on issues that Kaepernick protested after the death of black man George Floyd last month, the US women's soccer team is calling for the ban to be lifted.
Last mid-June, US Soccer revised the law and apologized to its players for passing the regulation. They admitted that they were wrong to forbid Megan Rapinoe from performing the action to her knees.
❗️ GAME ON ❗️ @ LAFC x @HoustonDynamo is underway on FS1. #LAFCvHOU pic.twitter.com/1pgksfPJC2
- Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 14, 2020
Four years ago, Rapinoe knelt before the women's team match against Thailand. At that time he followed Kaepernick who did it as a form of protest against police brutality and racial injustice.
US Soccer's decision came after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell admitted that the league was also wrong in not listening to its players when they peacefully protested.
Earlier this month, Thierry Henry sent a strong message of support to the Black Lives Matter movement by kneeling for eight minutes and 46 seconds, the same amount of time Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin placed his knee around George Floyd's neck.
✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿 @ ThierryHenry took a knee for the first 8:46 in memory of George Floyd. #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/ddn1TYOu1T
- Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 10, 2020
George Floyd died as a result of Chauvin's actions and his death sparked protests around the world.