On Tuesday, U.S. Soccer’s Board of Directors voted to repeal its policy that required players to stand during the national anthem.

On Wednesday, U.S. Soccer announced that its Board of Directors voted to repeal a policy that required players to stand during the national anthem.

The policy was originally put in place after Megan Rapinoe knelt during the national anthem before a National Women’s Soccer League game. Rapinoe knelt to support Colin Kaepernick in his protest efforts, saying she sympathized with his feelings toward the anthem, and the responses Kaepernick received as a result of kneeling.

“It is overtly racist,” Rapinoe said of the response Kaepernick received. “And quite honestly, being gay, I have stood with my hand over my heart during the national anthem and felt like I haven’t had my liberties protected, so I can absolutely sympathize with that feeling. The very least that I can do is continue