Michael Jordan’s remarks that athletes should have their medals withdrawn for protesting by kneeling during the playing of the national anthem have caused controversy.
Jordan, who is well-known for keeping his personal views apart from his public persona, makes a rare speech in which he calls on athletes to refrain from making political remarks while the national anthem is playing and urges them to leave the field. Supporters of athlete protests, who say that kneeling is a nonviolent way to draw attention to racial injustice, have reacted negatively to his remarks.
Some supporters agree with Jordan that athletes should prioritize their performances over political protests during major competitions. Jordan’s comments have rekindled conversations about the place of athletes in political discourse, underscoring the continuous conflict between activism and sports.