"I would do it again": Kaepernick remains unapologetic 10 years after first national anthem protest

His gesture went around the world in 2016. Colin Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem at a preseason game. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback brought the racial protest of "Black Lives Matter" (Black lives matter) to the NFL. It was his way of denouncing racial injustice and police brutality in the United States. He repeated it for 11 games.

Kaepernick explained his gesture after the game: "I'm not going to stand up and show pride in the flag of a country that oppresses Black people and people of color. For me, this is more important than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way". He inspired other NFL players to follow his example.

But as a result, it sparked a national debate because many considered it disrespectful. One of the most critical was Donald Trump, then a candidate for the U.S. presidency. His career took an irreversible turn. In 2017, he became a free agent and was not signed by any NFL team despite having led the 49ers to the 2013 Super Bowl and having thrown 16 touchdown passes in his final season. That gesture meant the end of his sporting career. He was "shunned" by franchise owners who viewed his snub of the anthem as unpatriotic.

Ten years later, Kaepernick acknowledged in an interview with BBC Sport that he does not regret it despite the high price he had to pay. "I knew the protest could cost me my career... I would definitely do it again," he says.

I knew the protest could cost me my career

Colin Kaepernick

The former quarterback remembers what happened this way. "What I couldn’t predict was the number of people who would support me in a significant way, and also the people who would work against me and against the movement," he adds.

Sports and politics

For those who argue that sports and politics should be kept separate, he is clear about it. "They are very hypocritical, because politics is an intrinsic part of sports. We see in American football that taxpayers finance NFL stadiums. We see NFL team owners supporting political candidates... so trying to present this as if sports were not political, in many ways seems ridiculous and detached from reality to me," he told the BBC.

I think it's great to see Trump show up at sporting events and get booed by the crowd

Colin Kaepernick

He considers it "regrettable" that FIFA awarded Trump his first "Peace Prize", a president who "is actively trying to use sports to gain favors and popularity." "What I think is great is seeing him show up at these events and get booed by the crowd, which reflects the political climate he has created, one that most of the country does not agree with... when it comes to sports, people should keep responding accordingly," he adds.