Saturday 21 July 2018 08:12, UK
US President Donald Trump has said that NFL players who kneel for the national anthem should be suspended without pay.
On Thursday, the NFL and its owners suspended a new policy brought in in May that called for fines against teams whose players show any mode of disrespect during the anthem.
The President of the United States responded to the decision with a tweet calling for action from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and he also suggested his own sanctions.
The tweet read: "The NFL National Anthem Debate is alive and well again - can't believe it!
"Isn't it in contract that players must stand at attention, hand on heart?
"The $40,000,000 Commissioner must now make a stand. First time kneeling, out for game. Second time kneeling, out for season/no pay!"
Eric Winston, the president of the NFL Players Association, responded to Trump on Twitter by saying, "Thanks for your thoughts, but we'll take it from here."
Trump had previously said the policy, which also asked players who will not stand to remain in the locker room, was "doing the right thing" but had not gone far enough.
The NFL Players Association filed a grievance against the league over the policy, arguing that it infringed on the athletes' rights.
And the subject returned to the news this week with reports that the Miami Dolphins had formally told players they could be punished for protesting on the field. The Dolphins then backtracked on the decision.
The NFL and NFL Players Association said in a joint statement Thursday night they were halting enforcement of all anthem rules while they work out a solution.
The protests began in 2016 when San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick decided to kneel during the anthem in a pre-season game as a stance against racial injustice in the United States.
Trump caused uproar in September 2017 with comments objecting to the protests and he challenged the NFL team owners to release any players who engaged in the movement.
