Players on two National Women’s Soccer League teams knelt during the national anthem and wore “Black Lives Matter” shirts ahead of their first game during the coronavirus pandemic.
The North Carolina Courage and the Portland Thorns FC opened the NWSL’s eight-team “bubble” tournament taking place in Herriman, Utah, outside the Salt Lake City area, on Saturday. The monthlong tournament, which began this weekend, will be played under strict conditions with COVID-19 in mind, including no fans at the games.
The players on both teams knelt during the anthem, and all wore “Black Lives Matter” shirts. Some also wore face masks.
Many @NWSL players kneeled during the national anthem ahead of the #2020ChallengeCup opener. pic.twitter.com/mwRozO7Vya
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) June 27, 2020
“We took a knee today to protest racial injustice, police brutality, and systemic racism against black people and people of color in America,” the players of both teams said in a statement regarding their silent protest. “We love our country, and we have taken this opportunity to hold it to a higher standard. It is our duty to demand that the liberties and freedoms this nation was founded upon are extended to everyone.”
Megan Rapinoe, one of the most popular and outspoken women’s soccer players, is not participating in the tournament but shared her support on social media.
Prior to the @NWSL Challenge Cup opener, members of the North Carolina Courage and Portland Thorns kneeled during the national anthem and wore Black Lives Matter t-shirts. pic.twitter.com/7FoagQYX6F
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 27, 2020
“You love to see it. You love to see these women using their voice, demanding better for America, and for black people and people of color. [NC Courage] and [Thorns FC] kneeling in solidarity with [Colin Kaepernick] and [Black Lives Matter],” she tweeted.
Kaepernick first sat and later during the “Star-Spangled Banner” in 2016 to raise awareness about police brutality, and his protests became controversial and a hot-button issue for the league. When Kaepernick opted out of his contract after the season, he was not signed by any other team and has remained out of the league since that time despite his attempts to find a new team. The following season, as President Trump vilified athletes kneeling during the anthem, more players carried on that form of silent protest.
A number of players have said they would kneel again in 2020, when the season resumes from the coronavirus outbreak, following the recent spotlight placed on systemic inequality and police brutality after George Floyd’s death in the custody of law enforcement.
