USWNT Player Rises up against Leftist Teammates as They Kneel at Olympics
Carli Lloyd stuns fans to be only playing standing before Team USA bronze medal match
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A lone USWNT player has chosen to rise up against her leftist teammates and remain standing while the rest of the Team USA squad knelt in protest ahead of their bronze medal-winning match at the Olympics.
Photos show star forward Carli Lloyd, 39, stood with her hands on her hips ahead of Thursday's game as the rest of the USWNT’s ten starters, and the team’s coaches and staff members, knelt in support of the far-left Black Lives Matter organization.
Two referees were also spotted kneeling on the turf at Kashima Stadium while the Australian side chose to stand side-by-side and link arms in unity.
Players kneeling ahead of Olympic contests have been a common sight since the Games began after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) relaxed its rules on demonstrations by athletes.
The US women have skirted the rules by standing during the playing of the national anthem before games, only kneeling afterward, Business Insider said.
The IOC said Olympians wouldn’t be sanctioned for expressing their opinions as long as they aren’t disruptive, don’t target specific people or countries, and don’t take place during meddling ceremonies.
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However, fans were left stunned on Thursday as Carli Lloyd appeared to be the only American player standing before the team’s match against Australia at the Games in Japan.
Lloyd was standing next to the referee of the match while Australia's soccer team stood in unity.
ALL the USWNT players and staff knelt. All except Carli Lloyd. To say Lloyd is a "somebody" on the team is an understatement.
— Edward Chang (@Edward_Chang_8) August 5, 2021
Also surprised to see Australia didn't kneel and are actually standing in solidarity opposite the U.S.
Not sure what's going on here. But interesting. pic.twitter.com/7RPab0IWn1
Here's an angle that says it all.
— Edward Chang (@Edward_Chang_8) August 5, 2021
This is likely Lloyd's final major competition. She single-handedly won two final matches for USWNT. She goes out, standing tall. pic.twitter.com/5qXWySqv9q
The U.S. women’s soccer team drew criticism at the start of the Olympics when players knelt before the official match against Sweden.
In that one, the U.S. would lose 3-0.
It was a different tune on Thursday.
Lloyd added to her own U.S. Olympic record with two goals during the game.
Her goals gave Team USA what it needed for the 4-3 win.
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Lloyd scored right before the end of the first half and then again right after the start of the second half.
She became the first U.S. women’s soccer player to score in four different Olympics.
It was the 10th Olympic goal for Lloyd, breaking a record previously held by Abby Wambach.
Australian soccer legend Sam Kerr tied the match in the first half with a goal of her own in the 17th minute.
Caitlin Foord and Emily Gielnik had the other two goals for Australia.
It’s the first time the U.S. team has picked up a bronze medal and the first time the team has medaled since the 2012 Olympics.
