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What’s more important: A statement in support of human rights, or a tribute to a fallen star? According to ESPN, it’s the latter.
The USWNT returned to the pitch for the first time in 261 days by beating the Netherlands 2-0 in a friendly on Friday. The replication of the USWNT’s historic win in the 2019 Women’s World Cup final showed that even having not played in eight months, this team is still the best in the world.
More significantly, the USWNT took a stand for human rights, one that ESPN completely ignored.
Before the friendly in Breda, Netherlands, on Friday, a moment of silence was held to honor Diego Maradona, who died earlier in the week. Both teams stood in a circle, heads bowed, just before kickoff. ESPN showed the entire tribute.
Screenshot: ESPN2
Before that, ESPN ignored another pregame message, one that everyone who follows the sport knew was coming.
Over the summer, the U.S. (and the rest of the world) faced a reckoning on race following the slaying of George Floyd by American police officers caught on camera in broad daylight. The NWSL, MLS and USMNT all made poignant messages in support of the Black Lives Matter movement upon their returns. The USWNT would be no different.
Before the match Friday, the USWNT wore jackets with Black Lives Matter written on them, similar to those worn by the USMNT. Then, nine of 11 starters on the team took a knee for the national anthem in solidarity with the movement. Four years ago, U.S. Soccer banned such a statement after Megan Rapinoe did it; this week nearly the entire squad (Rapinoe wasn’t with the team) joined together to fight white supremacy in the U.S.
Unfortunately, the USWNT’s message was completely ignored by ESPN.
ESPN, which had to have known what was coming (the team tweeted about it before the match), cut to commercial just before the national anthems, returning to coverage only as USWNT players were taking off their BLM jackets.
Fortunately, TUDN didn’t cut to commercial.
La selección de Estados Unidos entonando el himno nacional de rodillas
— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) November 27, 2020
Julie Ertz and Kelley O’Hara were the only starters who stood for the national anthem. Alex Morgan and many others on the bench took knees, though not all. (It’s interesting to see how Ertz went from this to Friday; we’re not going to bash her or anyone else for standing, but it’s worth pointing out.)
Black Lives Matter.
As a team, we work towards a society where the American ideals are upheld, and Black lives are no longer systemically targeted.≫ https://t.co/jPcGgp7wrV pic.twitter.com/M5PLhhn8vY
— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) November 27, 2020
It’s not surprising but certainly disappointing that ESPN chose to completely ignore this inspirational moment in USWNT history.
Here’s what the USWNT said about the statement it made:
“We wear Black Lives Matter to affirm human decency. This is not political, it’s a statement on human rights. As a team, we work towards a society where the American ideals are upheld, and Black lives are no longer systemically targeted. We collectively acknowledge injustice, as that is the first step in working towards correcting it.”
Black Lives Matter.
As a team, we work towards a society where the American ideals are upheld, and Black lives are no longer systemically targeted.≫ https://t.co/jPcGgp7wrV pic.twitter.com/M5PLhhn8vY
— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) November 27, 2020
Alas, most viewers of the USWNT on Friday missed out on this message to inspire our country to be better, to end white supremacy and to call out systemic injustice in our society. You’d think ending racism would be something everyone can get behind, but as has been made abundantly clear the last four years, not everyone agrees.
— Crystal Dunn Soubrier (@crysdunn_19) November 27, 2020
