Some USWNT players decided not to join their team-mates in a silent protest against racism during "The Star-Spangled Banner" - who are they, and why?
The act of kneeling during the national anthem in U.S. sport as a means of a silent protest against racial inequality and injustice is a legacy that began with former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who himself was inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.
Following the killing of George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer in May 2020, silent protests reverberated throughout sport.
With racial tensions and systemic racism still rife in the United States, the U.