United States (Women's Football)

The U.S. Soccer Federation voted Wednesday to repeal Policy 604-1, which required men's and women's national team members to stand during the national anthem. The policy was enacted in 2017 in response to kneeling protests, most notably via the USWNT's Megan Rapinoe.

Amid worldwide protests against racial inequality and police brutality following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis Police custody on May 25, the U.S. Soccer Federation has recanted its original stance, with president Cindy Parlow Cone telling ESPN FC's Dan Thomas on Thursday that the organization "missed the point completely" with Policy 604-1:

"Well, the protests definitely galvanized our thinking on the issue. In 2017, when we passed the policy, the board's discussions centered around the national anthem and the perceived disrespect for the flag, and we missed the point completely.

"It wasn't ever about the flag. It was and is about fighting against police brutality and the racial injustices in our society. And it's about seeing and believing and standing with our black and minority communities to fight these injustices.

"Now, I understand people who feel that kneeling is being disrespectful to the flag because that's where I was in 2017, and I know there's going to be backlash about this decision.

"You know, my dad served in Vietnam, one of my brothers served in Iraq, and so while I personally choose to continue to stand for the national anthem and use my voice in other ways, I feel that others have the right to kneel."

Parlow Cone said that she spoke with numerous players on the issue, including Rapinoe, who shared her perspective with the U.S. Soccer Federation board.

Rapinoe was one of the first athletes to kneel in protest against racial injustice and police brutality when she did so before a NWSL match in September 2016 in solidarity with ex-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who began doing so one month earlier.

She also kneeled before a friendly against Thailand later in September. 

Rapinoe explained in a Players' Tribune article why she chose to kneel.

"I haven't experienced over-policing, racial profiling, police brutality or the sight of a family member's body lying dead in the street. But I cannot stand idly by while there are people in this country who have had to deal with that kind of heartache.

"There is no perfect way to protest. I know that nothing I do will take away the pain of those families. But I feel in my heart it is right to continue to kneel during the national anthem, and I will do whatever I can to be part of the solution."

And she spoke with John D. Halloran of American Soccer Now (h/t Sebastian Salazar of NBC Sports Washington) on kneeling as well: "Being a gay American, I know what it means to look at the flag and not have it protect all of your liberties. It was something small that I could do and something that I plan to keep doing in the future and hopefully spark some meaningful conversation around it."

Parlow Cone told Thomas that she has since apologized to Rapinoe for putting the policy in place.

United States women's soccer captain and two-time World Cup winner Megan Rapinoe went on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and discussed a number of topics amid worldwide protests against racial inequality and police brutality sparked by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody May 25.

Most notably, Colbert and Rapinoe discussed her past and present activism, the reasons for lending her voice, and her thoughts on the protests' impact, among other items.

Colbert led by asking Rapinoe her opinion on the ongoing struggles for change and progress.

"Honestly, I'm really encouraged by it," she said. "I mean...in the same breath it's devastating that we have to get to this point, but I think people are like really getting it.

She explained many are starting to realize, "Got it, we can't say 'all lives matter' anymore, because the 'all lives' house isn't on fire. It's just the black lives right now."

Rapinoe also noted that she believes people are "starting to realize that they have more power than they have been told."

Colbert followed up by asking what she's learned over the past four years of protesting, most notably what it takes to protest and what happens when it occurs.

"Do it," Rapinoe said.

"It's always worth to do it, whether people like it or not. Everybody likes it now, everyone's like, 'Wow, good job.' Four years ago at that time, they were like, 'Bad job, don't do that.'"

Colbert then brought up President Donald Trump's criticism of athlete protests, to which Rapinoe said that "he's probably still thumbs-down here and thumbs-down here as well" in reference to 2016 and the present date.

"It's just always worth it to be honest," Rapinoe added. "Use your voice in whatever way you can. I truly believe we have a responsibility to make the world better in whatever way we can do best."

Rapinoe was one of the first athletes to kneel during the national anthem in protest of systemic racism, shortly after ex-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick did so in 2016.

She referenced why in a Players' Tribune article in October of that year:

"I haven't experienced over-policing, racial profiling, police brutality or the sight of a family member's body lying dead in the street. But I cannot stand idly by while there are people in this country who have had to deal with that kind of heartache.

"There is no perfect way to protest. I know that nothing I do will take away the pain of those families. But I feel in my heart it is right to continue to kneel during the national anthem, and I will do whatever I can to be part of the solution."

She also provided more reasoning to John D. Halloran of American Soccer Now (h/t Sebastian Salazar of NBC Sports Washington): "Being a gay American, I know what it means to look at the flag and not have it protect all of your liberties," Rapinoe said. "It was something small that I could do and something that I plan to keep doing in the future and hopefully spark some meaningful conversation around it."

Rapinoe has also fought for equal pay and LGBTQ rights, and she mentioned to Colbert that she's in a position in the United States as a high-profile athlete to do so. She also noted that her parents—most notably her mother, Denise—have encouraged her to use her voice and stand up.

The show host also discussed an initiative Rapinoe is taking part in called Share the Mic Now, which the USWNT captain explained to Colbert:

“Black women have always been at the forefront of change and progress.” - @mPinoe on #ShareTheMicNow pic.twitter.com/lOyqLsfJb8

— The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) June 11, 2020

Rapinoe, who also plays for the NWSL's OL Reign, has made 168 appearances for the USWNT and scored 52 goals. After the United States went a perfect 7-0-0 in the 2019 World Cup, the midfielder took home the Golden Ball as the tournament'sbest player and the Golden Boot as the leading scorer.

The United States women's national soccer team issued a statement Monday asking the United States Soccer Federation to repeal its national anthem policy, which requires players to stand during the playing of the anthem before games.

The statement also asked the federation to publicly apologize for the policy and acknowledge it was wrong.

USWNT Player's statment re: @ussoccer's "Anthem Policy" pic.twitter.com/Jd4OtRDhRJ

— USWNT Players (@USWNTPlayers) June 9, 2020

"Further, we believe the Federation should lay out its plans on how it will now support the message and movement that it tried to silence four years ago," the statement said. "Until USSF does so, the mere existence of the Policy will continue to perpetuate the misconceptions and fear that clouded the true meaning and significance of Colin Kaepernick, Megan Rapinoe and other athletes taking a knee—that Black people in America have not been and continue to not be afforded the same liberties and freedoms as white people and that police brutality and systemic racism exist in this country."

What's more, the U.S. Soccer Athlete Council, featuring current and former players from the women's, men's, beach and para 7-a-side national teams, issued a statement that "strongly encourages" the federation to repeal the policy.

As Molly Hensley-Clancy of BuzzFeed News reported, the men's team also condemned the policy:

And here’s the statement from a lawyer for the men’s national team union, which also condemned the policy and demanded an apology from US Soccer: pic.twitter.com/YimuzOACWR

— Molly Hensley-Clancy (@mollyhc) June 9, 2020

Hensley-Clancy reported U.S. Soccer will discuss the policy during a special board meeting Tuesday as concerns about police brutality and racism in the country have dominated headlines following the killing of George Floyd on May 25 and the protests it sparked across the nation.

The report noted Rapinoe was the first major white athlete to follow Kaepernick's example and kneel during the national anthem as a means of protest in 2016. While she was not officially punished, she did not appear on the team's roster for more than six months and was not included again until the federation passed the policy.

The 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup Golden Boot and Golden Ball winner, who is gay, said at the time she knew "what it means to look at the flag and not have it protect all of your liberties."

She further explained her decision to kneel in an article for the Players' Tribune:

"I have chosen to kneel because in the time it has taken me to write this article, many more Americans have been lost to senseless violence. I have chosen to kneel because not two miles from my hotel in Columbus, Ohio, on the night before our USWNT match against Thailand, a 13-year-old boy named Tyre King was fatally shot by a police officer. I have chosen to kneel because I simply cannot stand for the kind of oppression this country is allowing against its own people. I have chosen to kneel because, in the words of Emma Lazarus, 'Until we are all free, we are none of us free.'"

Hensley-Clancy reported a U.S. Soccer representative emailed the men's national team players' union in 2017 to threaten a three-game suspension for anyone who knelt during the national anthem and a year's suspension for a second offense.

That U.S. Soccer will discuss the policy could signal a change in attitudes from another governing body after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league was "wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest" in a video released Friday.

Megan Rapinoe is already one of the greatest soccer players in United States history. 

However, she isn't ruling out a career in politics for the country when she is done playing.

During an interview with Vice TV's Anand Giridharadas (h/t TMZ Sports), Rapinoe said "I'm not totally shutting the door, but it seems wild," when asked if she would consider a career in politics.

She added her dream job in politics would be "president, of course. If I'm going to do it, I want the biggest, baddest post."

In addition to her soccer career on the field, Rapinoe has ventured into political arenas in the past. She is an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, including during the interview with Giridharadas, and during the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup made it clear she wouldn't visit the White House if she helped lead the Americans to a title.

Trump responded with a Twitter rant saying "Megan should WIN first before she TALKS" and inviting the entire team to the White House even if it didn't win.

The United States ultimately did win in large part because of Rapinoe's brilliance as the World Cup Golden Boot and Golden Ball winner as the tournament's top scorer and overall player, but the team did not visit the White House.

Rapinoe also previously knelt during the national anthem as a way of protesting violence and inequality in this country, explaining her decision in an article for The Players' Tribune:

"I have chosen to kneel because in the time it has taken me to write this article, many more Americans have been lost to senseless violence. I have chosen to kneel because not two miles from my hotel in Columbus, Ohio, on the night before our USWNT match against Thailand, a 13-year-old boy named Tyre King was fatally shot by a police officer. I have chosen to kneel because I simply cannot stand for the kind of oppression this country is allowing against its own people. I have chosen to kneel because, in the words of Emma Lazarus, 'Until we are all free, we are none of us free.'" 

She also remains one of the leading advocates in the United States Women's National Team's fight for equal pay.

Former USWNT goalkeeper Hope Solo and her husband, former NFL tight end Jerramy Stevens, announced in an Instagram post Thursday their dog Conan was shot Wednesday night. 

"It's hard news to share, but harder to make sense of this heinous act," Solo wrote. "Jerramy and I are shocked and heartbroken, but we want to say thank you to Wilkes Veterinary Hospital and their staff for rushing Conan into emergency care, as well as their COVID-19 care practices."

Conan is the brown one on the far left. A beautiful dog, best of the bunch.

And Jerramy and I want to say thank you to Wilkes Veterinary Hospital and their staff for rushing Conan into emergency care, as well as their COVID-19 care practices. pic.twitter.com/9ArldOif8l

— Hope Solo (@hopesolo) May 14, 2020

Solo added the couple has "heard that there are developments in canine prosthetics" and is interested in learning about ways to get Conan a new front leg.

United States women's national team superstar Alex Morgan announced the birth of her first child Saturday with her husband, longtime MLS soccer player Servando Carrasco.

The 30-year-old Morgan revealed that their daughter, Charlie Elena Carrasco, was born Thursday:

At 1130am on May 7 weighing 8lbs5oz, Charlie Elena Carrasco made her grand entrance into the world. She made us wait longer than expected, but I should have known she would do it her way and her way only. My super moon baby. pic.twitter.com/dDbIXW6INr

— Alex Morgan (@alexmorgan13) May 9, 2020

Carrasco also shared a special message to his newborn daughter and wife via Instagram: "Elena Carrasco, we love you so much baby girl. Alex you're such a warrior. 5/7/20 - best day of my life."

Morgan, who stars for the USWNT and the National Women's Soccer League's Orlando Pride, is already among the most accomplished women's soccer players of all time. Carrasco most recently played for the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2019.

Morgan won a gold medal in the 2012 Summer Olympics with Team USA and followed that up with a pair of FIFA World Cup victories in 2015 and 2019. Morgan also won a Women's Professional Soccer championship with the Western New York Flash in 2011, an NWSL title with Portland Thorns FC in 2013 and the UEFA Women's Champions League with Lyon in 2017.

Individually, Morgan is a two-time U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year and four-time CONCACAF Player of the Year.

With 107 goals in 169 career appearances for the USWNT, Morgan is tied for fifth all-time among American players in scoring with Michelle Akers. She trails only Abby Wambach, Mia Hamm, Kristine Lilly and Carli Lloyd.

Morgan told USA Today's Josh Peter in December that she planned to play for Team USA in the 2020 Summer Olympics despite her pregnancy, and with the Olympics getting moved to summer 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic, it may increase her chances of being part of the USWNT for that event.

United States soccer star Megan Rapinoe is preparing for the possibility that the Olympics, already postponed until the summer of 2021, could be delayed again because of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Appearing on The Axe Files podcast with CNN's David Axelrod, Rapinoe explained she thinks "the Olympics are in doubt next year" because of the difficulty of bringing together athletes from all around the world. 

"The more I think about it logistically, just bringing everybody together like that with the absence of drug therapies or anything like that just seems difficult," she said. 

The International Olympic Committee announced March 24 that the 2020 Tokyo Games, scheduled to begin on July 24, were being postponed amid the pandemic. 

On March 30, Tokyo organizers announced the Olympics would begin with the opening ceremony July 23, 2021.

The IOC said in the announcement the new start date will give "health authorities and all involved in the organisation of the Games the maximum time to deal with the constantly changing landscape and the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic."

Yoshiro Mori, president of the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee, told Nikkan Sports (h/t CBC.ca) in late April that the Olympics will be canceled if the event can't be held next year. 

On the same day, president of Japan's medical association Yoshitake Yokokura told reporters that developing a vaccine or effective drugs to combat COVID-19 will be instrumental in determining whether the Olympics can take place. 

"If the infections are under control in Japan, it will still be difficult to hold the games unless the pandemic is over in the rest of the world," Yokokura said. 

Per David D. Kirkpatrick of the New York Times, researchers at Oxford University have begun testing a vaccine in people that could become available as early as September if it's proven to be effective. 

Some health experts have expressed doubt that a previous 12-18-month timetable to develop a vaccine is realistic. 

Rapinoe told Axelrod any further delays could mean she has already played her last Olympics for the USWNT: "If it happens that, you know, we can't play sports for or a number of years or whatever it may be, you know, this situation will be what it is. And I think we'll be at peace with that."

If Rapinoe plays in the Games next summer, it will be her third appearance with the United States. She helped the Americans win the gold medal in 2012 with a 2-1 victory over Japan in the final. 

 

U.S. District Court Judge R. Gary Klausner decided against taking the U.S. women's national team's $67 million pay discrimination lawsuit against U.S. Soccer to trial Friday, saying the women "have not demonstrated a triable issue that WNT players are paid less than MNT players," per Caitlin Murray of Yahoo Sports.

On Monday, USWNT stars Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan discussed the case on Good Morning America:

“We are fighters and we’ll continue to fight together for this.” @USWNT #WorldCup champions @mPinoe and @alexmorgan13 speak out on the latest setback in their equal pay fight and what’s next. https://t.co/0nOJnS4zxy pic.twitter.com/iJhHszhKyB

— Good Morning America (@GMA) May 4, 2020

Rapinoe took issue with the judge's ruling that the USWNT made $24.5 million over the course of 111 games in the time period laid out in the lawsuit, for an average of $220,747 per game, whereas the men made $18.5 million across 87 games and made $212,639 per game. She said:

"I was very shocked with the ruling and the explanation that was given. Basically it's like, if I earn $1 every time I play and a man earns $3, just because I win 10 games and he only wins three games and so I make $10 and he made $9, I'm not sure how that's me making more money while having to essentially win everything we could have possibly won over these past few years."

One of the issues with the judge's ruling is that had the men qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, even if they would have lost all three games in Russia, their per-game average would have bumped up to $256,169 when taking into account their $2.5 million qualifying bonus and the player bonus of $68,750 for making the team, per Murray. They also would have earned $6,875 per game at the tournament.

The central argument being presented by the USWNT is that they have to win far more games to earn the same amount of money as the men. Rapinoe argued that the judge's decision to toss out their lawsuit essentially punished the women for being the best team in the world. 

"If we were under the men's contract we would be making three times more," she said. "So you can look at the total compensation and say, 'Oh, the women's team made a little bit more.' In that time that we've made just a little bit more, we've won two World Cups and we've won just about every single game that we've played in. So the rate of pay is just so different."

Other aspects of the lawsuit not related to equal pay, including issues of unequal working conditions regarding travel accommodations and other considerations, are still going forward. 

Morgan added that the ruling was shocking and that they planned to appeal the equal pay portion of the lawsuit. 

"This is definitely a hurdle in the road, but it's nothing that's gonna stop or deter us from what we have always been true to, and that's true equality in the sport," she said. "So we are still feeling optimistic, and we'll get through this." 

Former United States vice president and current presidential candidate Joe Biden expressed support for the U.S. women's national team in their fight for equal pay Saturday.

Biden took to Twitter to encourage the USWNT to keep fighting and inform the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) that there will be repercussions should he be elected president and if the governing body continues to refuse equal pay:

To @USWNT: don’t give up this fight. This is not over yet.

To @USSoccer: equal pay, now. Or else when I'm president, you can go elsewhere for World Cup funding. https://t.co/XK6t9oM94k

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) May 2, 2020

According to ESPN's Graham Hays, a federal judge in California dismissed the USWNT's wage discrimination lawsuit Friday, noting that the players "have not demonstrated a triable issue that WNT players are paid less than MNT players."

Per Hays, the decision was based largely on financial information U.S. Soccer provided to Judge R. Gary Klausner. U.S. Soccer reported to Klausner that the women's national team averaged $220,747 per game in total payments and the men's national team averaged $212,639 per game in total payments from 2015 to '19.

While the judge could have ruled that U.S. Soccer violated the Equal Pay Act even though women's national team players earned more in total than men's national team players, the plaintiffs were deemed unable to prove that the higher payment was only a result of the women's players participating in more matches than the men's players.

It was determined that language in the USWNT's collective bargaining agreement led to unequal play rather than discrimination from the USSF.

USWNT players Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan were among those who said they would continue their fight:

https://twitter.com/mPinoe/status/1256373201283809281

Although disappointing to hear this news, this will not discourage us in our fight for equality. https://t.co/s1VWfF2IG0

— Alex Morgan (@alexmorgan13) May 2, 2020

While the judge dismissed the wage discrimination lawsuit, he did not dismiss the allegation that U.S. Soccer discriminated against the USWNT with imbalanced workplace conditions, which would be a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The USWNT alleges that U.S. Soccer discriminated against them with substandard charter flights and hotel accommodations and medical and training support compared to the men's team.

While the USWNT could still win that part of the lawsuit, spokesperson Molly Levinson said the the U.S. women's players plan to appeal the decision on unequal pay.

Unless a settlement is agreed upon, the Title VII portion of the lawsuit is scheduled to go to trial on June 16.

Presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said during a March 15 Democratic debate that he would appoint a woman as his running mate in the 2020 presidential election.

No one has been chosen at this time, but in an Instagram Live video with Dr. Jill Biden and her husband, United States women's soccer team captain Megan Rapinoe threw her hat into the ring.

Nancy Armour of USA Today provided the quotes: “I don’t want to put you on the spot -- I think I could still play soccer and do this. But if you need a vice president, I’m just saying I’m available for an interview. We can talk logistics and the details. Put it on your list."

She also told Biden "no pressure."

Armour captured the Bidens' response: "Jill Biden, who had dyed part of her hair purple in honor of Rapinoe's signature look at the World Cup, said she would 'love' that. Biden laughed and said his granddaughter Maisy, who played soccer in high school and accompanied the then-vice president to the 2015 World Cup final, would, too."

Although Rapinoe's offer appeared in jest, Biden would have one of the most popular American athletes on his side.

The Golden Boot and Golden Ball winner led the United States to the 2019 Women's World Cup title following a 2-0 win over the Netherlands in the final. She was also Sports Illustrated's 2019 Sportsperson of the Year.

Per Armour, Rapinoe endorsed Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren before she suspended her campaign. She has since endorsed Biden, who served as the vice president under President Barack Obama from January 2009 through January 2017.