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Thursday 12 OcTOber 2017

Trump: ‘About time’ NFL demands players stand during anthem

WASHINGTON (AP) — day) and both he and
President Donald Trump player leadership will at-
says “it is about time” that tend the league meetings
NFL Commissioner Roger next week,” the NFL said
Goodell demands “that all in a statement. “There has
players STAND for our great been no change in the cur-
National Anthem-RESPECT rent policy regarding the
OUR COUNTRY.” anthem. The agenda will
Trump made a reference be a continuation of how
Wednesday on Twitter to to make progress on the
Goodell’s meetings next important social issues that
week with NFL owners, players have vocalized. Ev-
where they will consider eryone who is part of our
changes to a game manu- NFL community has a tre-
al that says players “should” mendous respect for our
stand during the national country, our flag, our an-
anthem. That’s a guideline them and our military, and
that the league has left to we are coming together to
the discretion of players deal with these issues in a
who have kneeled in larger civil and constructive way.”
numbers after Trump’s criti- Goodell told club execu-
cism. tives Tuesday in a memo
NFL owners will have their obtained by The Associ- Members of the San Francisco 49ers kneel during the playing of the national anthem before an
annual fall meeting in ated Press that the anthem NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017, in Indianapolis.
New York next Tuesday issue is dividing the league Associated Press
and Wednesday, and the from its fans. He said the doing the hard work of try- that owners should fire of black males. In an inter-
league has invited the NFL needs to move past ing to move from protest to players who kneel during view on FOX News Chan-
players’ union to take part. the controversy. progress, working to bring the anthem, reigniting the nel’s (FNC) Hannity airing
“Commissioner Roger Goodell met Tuesday with people together,” NFL movement started by ex- Wednesday night, Trump
Goodell reached out to Miami Dolphins players, law spokesman Brian McCarthy San Francisco quarterback said the NFL could’ve
NFLPA Executive Director enforcement and com- said in a statement. Trump Colin Kaepernick over his avoided this issue by sus-
DeMaurice Smith (Wednes- munity leaders. “The NFL is told supporters last month view of police mistreatment pending Kaepernick.q