(Reuters) - Former United States soccer coach Bruce Arena questioned the relevance of playing the country's national anthem before matches in professional sports leagues, saying it was inappropriate. Arena said he understood why some athletes take a knee to protest racial discrimination during pre-match renditions of "The Star-Spangled Banner", saying it was appropriate as long as it was respectful. "I question why we're playing the anthem in professional sporting events in our country ... it puts people in awkward positions," Arena, currently the head coach of Major League Soccer (MLS) side New England Revolution, told ESPN. "We don't use the anthem in movie theatres, on Broadway, other events in the U.S. I don't think it's appropriate to have a national anthem before a baseball game or an MLS game.

Source: International New York Times June 19, 2020 06:11 UTC