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Explained in plain English

What other anthem protests happened?

Anthem protests have a long history, often used to highlight social or political issues. Perhaps the most famous was in 1968 when American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised black-gloved fists at the Mexico City Olympics. More recently, footballers like Colin Kaepernick have knelt during anthems to protest racial injustice, similar to the Ireland team's silent protest.

Stories that explain this

Israel captain says his country is "10 times better" than Ireland

Questions this opens up

What was Kaepernick protesting? What did the 1968 Olympians protest? Do other sports protest anthems?

Related explainers

Why protest during an anthem? Is it allowed in international sport? Are international matches always political? What is the Nations League for? Can players really be banned for talking? What are anti-migrant protests? What happened after WW2? What happened in 1977?

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