The United States women’s soccer team is getting blasted that they ‘disrespected’ a 98-year-old World War II veteran after some players turned away from him during the national anthem ahead of a match on Monday.
A video showed several members of the team turn away from Pete DuPre, who was playing the national anthem on a harmonica, facing away from him as he performed the anthem.
See below.
On Monday night, the team issued a response to that rumor.
The U.S. Women’s soccer team claims that its players were looking at the flag pole at the end of the stadium.
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“To be clear, no one turned their back on WWII Veteran Pete DuPré during tonight’s anthem,” the U.S. women’s soccer team said in a statement. “Some USWNT players were simply looking at the flag on a pole in one end of the stadium. The players all love Pete, thanked him individually after the game and signed a ball for him.”
“Not true,” they wrote. “No one turned their back on WWII Veteran Pete DuPré during tonight’s anthem. Some USWNT players were simply looking at the flag on a pole in one end of the stadium. The players all love Pete, thanked him individually after the game and signed a ball for him.”
The team also made sure to show footage of each player thanking DuPré after the game was over.
“This is respect. Each and every player waited for their opportunity to come up to Pete post-game before getting on the bus, said hello, thanked him and signed his ball,” the U.S. Women’s soccer team wrote.
The U.S. defeated Mexico 4-0.
