Report: U.S. Soccer to Consider Repealing Ban on Players Kneeling for Anthem

The U.S. Soccer Federation's board of directors will meet Tuesday to discuss potentially repealing the policy that requires national team players to stand during the national anthem, according to ESPN.

The board will likely vote on Friday, according to the report, though the policy also would have to be voted on by the federation's constituents at the next annual general meeting in February or March.

Adopted in 2017, the policy came in response to U.S. women's national team midfielder Megan Rapinoe kneeling during a 2016 match against Thailand. Rapinoe wanted to show her support for then-49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick who kneeled to protest racial injustice and police brutality.

It reads: "All persons representing a Federation national team shall stand respectfully during the playing of national anthems at any event in which the Federation is represented."

In the wake of the killing of George Floyd–a 46-year-old black man who died in police custody after a Minneapolis police officer held his knee against Floyd's throat for nearly nine minutes–the issues highlighted by Kaepernick have reached national attention again. The officer, Derek Chauvin, was arrested and faces second-degree murder and manslaughter charges. The three other officers present face charges of aiding and abetting murder.

The USSF Athlete Council, which includes several men's and women's national team members, discussed repealing the policy in a conference call Sunday. The council seemed to support a repeal, ESPN reports.