UPDATE (11:01 AM 7/6/2021): An account representing U.S. Soccer teams denies that the video shows any players disrespecting World War II veteran Pete DuPré and posted a video of players, including Megan Rapinoe, greeting him and signing a ball. Breitbart News’ story never said the players disrespected Pete DuPré; rather, it said some players disrespected the American flag. The video shows some players did not face the flag but instead stood, hands behind their backs, facing the back of the World War II vet Pete DuPré as he played the national anthem on the harmonica.
To be clear, no one turned their back on WWII Veteran Pete DuPré during tonight's anthem. Some USWNT players were simply looking at the flag on a pole in one end of the stadium. The players all love Pete, thanked him individually after the game and signed a ball for him.
— U.S. Soccer Comms (@ussoccer_comms) July 6, 2021
This is respect. Each and every player waited for their opportunity to come up to Pete post-game before getting on the bus, said hello, thanked him and signed his ball. https://t.co/0fhtkTSxIF
— U.S. Soccer Comms (@ussoccer_comms) July 6, 2021
The original story continues below.
Several members of the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) did not face the flag as a 98-year-old WWII veteran played the national anthem.
The incident occurred Monday, just before the USWNT took-on Mexico in their final tune-up before the Tokyo Olympics.
Every woman on the Mexican Soccer Team faced the flag & sang the Mexican National anthem.
Several woman on the U.S. Soccer team turned away from the US flag – while a 92 year old Veteran played the anthem on a harmonica.
Why didn’t @USWNT show the women turning away? https://t.co/8OCa7eToZD
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) July 5, 2021
A longer version of the video can be seen here:
98-year-old World War II veteran Pete DuPré played the national anthem on a harmonica before the @USWNT’s Olympic send-off match 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/wnrOnZJhkC
— ESPN (@espn) July 5, 2021
The veteran playing the harmonica is Pete DuPré, who has gained national notoriety playing the anthem at sporting events all over the country. The USWNT protest on Monday was not the first time U.S. athletes have snubbed the flag while qualifying for the Olympics. In late June, hammer thrower Gwen Berry also turned away from the flag during the playing of the national anthem.
Monday’s incident sparked intense backlash on Twitter.
If you don’t feel the US represents your values and you want to protest by turning away from the flag, fine. That’s your right to do so. What confuses me is why you’d choose to represent that same country on a national level.
— Scott Shelton (@GreatScott_11) July 5, 2021
I'd rather field a team with less talent that wants to represent us than talented people playing for themselves. Those that turned away should be replaced.
— Yellow Wizard (@anonyfuss) July 5, 2021
And some the USWNT turned their backs to it. Meanwhile Mexico, a country with much less quality of life than America, sung every word of theirs. Welcome to America.
— Addison Butler (@AddisonButler17) July 5, 2021
The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Mexico 4-0.
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