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Major League Soccer released a statement Tuesday on players’ right to free speech in light of the recent trend for NFL players to take a knee during the playing of the national anthem before games. MLS made it clear they would prefer players to stand during the Star-Spangled Banner, but would respect and support a player’s right to express his personal beliefs.
The statement in full:
“The march of players, officials and children into our stadiums and singing of the anthem has been a pre-match tradition since our first game in 1996. The national anthem provides our clubs and fans an important and time-honored opportunity to salute our country and stand up for its principles — whether in the United States or in Canada.
“At the same time, freedom of speech — and the right to peaceful protest — are the hallmarks of both countries. Though we encourage our players to stand during the national anthem, we respect and support their right to express their personal beliefs.”
All players stood for the national anthem in Philadelphia on Saturday. Photo: @David_Malandra | Twitter
MLS didn’t exactly go out on a limb one way or the other on the topic. Unlike in Europe, the national anthem is played before every MLS match, including the Canadian anthem before matches involving one of the Canadian clubs.
No MLS player to date has taken a knee or shown any form of protest during the national anthem. A couple players have publicly expressed solidarity with the protests, but none have actually protested before a match.
On Monday, the MLS Players Union waded in, saying it would support any player’s constitutional right to free speech.
"All players have every right to exercise their Constitutional rights and we will do everything in our power to defend those rights..." pic.twitter.com/piPlCfdi2R
— MLS Players Union (@MLSPlayersUnion) September 25, 2017
Unlike MLS players, NWSL players have taken to activism on the pitch. The league hasn’t issued a statement on the matter, but no action was taken against nine players who stayed in the stadium tunnel ahead of the Seattle-Kansas City match over the weekend.
While professional soccer players appear to have the backing to make a protest should they so choose at the club level, the situation remains different at the national level. U.S. Soccer Federation recently reiterated its commitment to having players stand during the national anthem. The USSF made standing a requirement in February after Megan Rapinoe took a knee before two USWNT matches.
“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,” U.S. Soccer policy states.
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