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Las Vegas Hockey: World Cup Anthem Issues

By Richard Evans

GAP, FRANCE - AUGUST 19: JYP team during the CHL anthem during the Champions Hockey League match between Gap Rapaces and JYP Jyvaskyla at Alp'Arena on August 19, 2016 in Gap, France. (Photo by Gap Rapaces/Champions Hockey League via Getty Images)
GAP, FRANCE - AUGUST 19: JYP team during the CHL anthem during the Champions Hockey League match between Gap Rapaces and JYP Jyvaskyla at Alp'Arena on August 19, 2016 in Gap, France. (Photo by Gap Rapaces/Champions Hockey League via Getty Images) /
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Finally it is time – the World Cup of Hockey is about to put competition on the ice. Except we have to find a way around the playing of an anthem. Who knew that simply playing an anthem was going to cause so many problems?

Sep 3, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; A fan holds up a cutout sign of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (not pictured) during the national anthem before the game between the Arizona Wildcats and the Brigham Young Cougars at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 3, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; A fan holds up a cutout sign of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (not pictured) during the national anthem before the game between the Arizona Wildcats and the Brigham Young Cougars at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /

And now we have the Colin Kaepernick anthem conundrum. On the same day that President Barack Obama affirmed that the San Francisco 49ers substitute quarterback had a right to sit in protest during the playing of the anthem, Team USA coach said not here. Coach John Tortorella stated that any USA player who sat for the US anthem would sit for the game.

And then the media went nuts. Of course.

To me? I firmly reside on the side of Tortotella on this one, although probably for different reasons why others are going. My reasoning goes to the Olympics and the Ancient Greeks.

Ideally, international sports are there to build relationships. They are there as anti-political events designed to build bridges. Greek nations could be at war, but for the time of the Olympic Games the athletes of their nations competed WITH each other.

Some of the lowest times I have had is when people have pushed politics into international competition. You can start as big as the massive boycotts of the Moscow and Los Angeles games. You can go as small as the Rio Olympics’ Egyptian judoka Islam El Shehaby who was sent home by the IOC for refusing to shake the hand of an Israeli competitor who beat him.

In my world, international sports are there to be anti-politics. It is there to forge understanding and relationships. Please, just please, can we please keep the dirtiness of politics out of international sport?

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I am in no way challenging Kaepernick’s right to protest. He is doing it in a domestic sport on a domestic stage. He has a chance to make a statement. He has to live with the results of his statement, whether it be fans or sponsors or his tenuous position on his team. If we want to politicize there? I am okay with that, even when I may be uncomfortable with the statement.

But let’s keep international sport anti-political. Okay? Let us stand for our anthem. Let us stand for the opposition’s anthem. And while we are at it, let’s shake our opponent’s hand at the end of the contest.

Then get back to politics, if that is what you want.

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