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ESPN is being criticized over a recent feature highlighting Megan Rapinoe’s patriotism after the USWNT was eliminated from the World Cup.
During the tournament, Rapinoe and her teammates faced criticism from fans back home for refusing to sing the national anthem.
Most of the U.S. Women’s soccer players refused to sing our great national anthem.
What. A. Disgrace. pic.twitter.com/G8CJc22BMJ
— 3sidedstory 🇺🇲 (@3sidedstory) July 22, 2023
Rapinoe had been vocal about not singing the anthem in the past.
Via Yahoo Sports
The whole meaning of [the anthem],” she says, “changed dramatically” for her. It is now a “somber moment” for a “peaceful protest.”
I ask her what, if anything, might compel her to return to her old ways.
“It would take a lot,” she responds. “It would take criminal justice reform. It would take the huge inequality gap that we have to be much better. It would take a lot of progress in LGBTQ rights. We just have such a disparity in this country in so many different ways, inequality in so many different ways.”
Rapinoe was later mocked by American fans for missing a crucial penalty kick during the team’s elimination game on Sunday.
After the USWNT got eliminated by Sweden, ESPN aired a feature praising Rapinoe for her patriotist and “love” for America during Monday morning’s edition of SportsCenter. The feature was shared on TSN’s Youtube channel as well.
Fans in the comment section ripped into ESPN and TSN for airing the Rapinoe feature.
Screenshots via Total Pro Sports
