Former USWNT star Megan Rapinoe expressed her support for Colin Kaepernick, who is set to headline the U.S. flag football team at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
“It would truly be an incredible moment to have Colin Kaepernick represent America on the biggest stage in sports,” Rapinoe told USA TODAY’s Mackenzie Salmon.
Kaepernick told Sky Sports in August that he still wants to play in the NFL and would like to compete for the U.S. flag football team at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Kaepernick, 36, sparked national controversy in 2016 when he kneeled during the national anthem to protest police brutality and the killing of unarmed black men. He played six seasons as a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers before parting ways with the team after the 2016 season. After failing to sign a contract, Kaepernick agreed to an undisclosed settlement after suing the NFL for colluding to exclude him from the league.
“He continues to be ostracized by the NFL and one of the biggest sports in our country,” Rapinoe said. “So he really was robbed of his career. And he’s still being robbed of that. So if he could get the opportunity to represent America in the Olympics and carry the flag and everything, I think that would be incredible.”
At the Olympic Games in LA, flag football will be included in the Olympic program, along with lacrosse, T20 cricket, baseball, softball and squash. In flag football, men’s and women’s teams of five players each compete against each other on a field that is 45 meters long and 22 meters wide.
The qualification process for the U.S. Olympic team has not yet been announced, but there is a possibility that college, NFL and active flag football players from Team USA could be added to the men’s roster. Although several NFL stars have expressed interest in participating, the athletes who regularly represent Team USA – and have won the last five IFAF Flag Football World Championships – seem determined to defend their spots on the Olympic team.
“(Kaepernick) is such a huge talent,” Rapinoe said. “(His Olympic participation) would definitely be a must-see for me. And I’m sure for a lot of other people too.”
Rapinoe added that she would like to see trial training sessions so that players with different playing backgrounds can outperform each other.
“I think ideally it would be a mixed team, some NFL players and then some players who have been around for a long time,” Rapinoe said. “I think that would probably be the most respectful move.”
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Megan Rapinoe wants Colin Kaepernick to play flag football at the Olympics
