When US Soccer introduced its misguided anthem rule on Saturday -- "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" -- it tarnished both the country and the game.
New Policy 604-1 isn't just anti-American. It's anti-soccer.
Even the NFL -- that other football federation, the sports association that most proudly wraps itself in the American flag -- didn't punish Colin Kaepernick when he first sat and then kneeled during the Star-Spangled Banner, nor did it sanction any of his fellow players who followed suit.