Trump vs sports! POTUS slams Roger Goodell for allowing players to kneel during anthem

US President Donald Trump has all but waged a war against premier sports leagues in the country. In the wake of the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement, the likes of the NBA, NFL, MLB and MLS have allowed players to show solidarity with the movement by kneeling during the national anthem. Trump has already criticised NBA players for persisting with that particular form of protest, labelling them "dumb" and "nasty" for hurting the league's ratings due to the "continued disrespect of the national flag".

Trump vs Sports: US President slams NFL commissioner Roger Goodell

This time taking fresh shots at NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Donald Trump claimed Goodell "is going to kill football" by allowing players to take a knee during the national anthem. During Sunday's interview on America This Week, the president said people will stop watching the NFL if they witness the American flag and the Star-Spangled Banner being disrespected ahead of every game. 

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Trump recalled Goodell's statement from earlier this year when the latter admitted the NFL was wrong in not listening to its players about racism. The Republican leader compared Goodell's announcement to his primary competitor Joe Biden, who created a similar makeshift television studio in his basement to address people during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"I thought this was over. And then Roger Goodell, from his basement, like Biden, in a blue t-shirt as opposed to a suit – he looks much more handsome in a suit. But Roger Goodell got out and made the statement in August or July - out of nowhere - talking about this whole thing that he's doing," Trump said during Sunday morning's interview. 

The video referred to by Trump was posted by Roger Goodell back in June when the anti-racism protests in the US were at peak. The NFL commissioner encouraged players to express their support for the movement by kneeling during the national anthem. Goodell said that the protests are "emblematic of the centuries of silence, inequality and oppression of black players." 

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Donald Trump feuded with Colin Kaepernick in 2016 when the latter started taking a knee during the anthem as a sign of protest against police brutality and racial violence. Back then, Kaepernick was heavily criticised by most NFL experts. It ultimately led to his NFL exit in 2017. Trump repeatedly used Kaepernick's protest during as an agenda during his presidential campaign, lambasting the former 49ers star for mixing politics with sports. However, Kaepernick's 'Take a Knee' movement has gained relevance in 2020, especially after the death of George Floyd earlier this year. In spite of Trump's criticism and threats to boycott the leagues, players in the NBA and MLB continue to kneel during the national anthem. 

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(Image credits: AP)