FACT CHECK: Was Megan Rapinoe Kicked Off The U.S. Women’s Soccer Team For Assaulting Another Player?

A post shared on Facebook claims Megan Rapinoe, a U.S. women’s national soccer team player, was removed from the squad for assaulting another player.

Verdict: False

There is no evidence suggesting Rapinoe was removed from the team for any reason. The viral claim stems from a satirical website.

Fact Check:

Rapinoe, a forward for the women’s national team, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Joe Biden during a July 7 ceremony at the White House, according to NBC News. The soccer star was recognized for her Olympic achievements as well as her outspoken advocacy of LGBTQ rights and women’s rights, the outlet reported.

A post shared on Facebook claims she was recently removed from the national team after assaulting another player. (RELATED: FACT CHECK: Did Megan Rapinoe Wave A ‘Trump 2020’ Flag On The Soccer Field?)

“Megan Rapinoe won’t be kneeling on any more soccer fields,” reads part of the July 19 post. “The brutish beast apparently attacked one of her fellow players during practice after she asked the superstar to please not wear a pride flag ‘as a cape.’ Rapinoe flew off the handle into a completely unwarranted rage and broke the young newcomer’s nose.” The post goes on to claim that after the alleged incident the other players voted to removed Rapinoe from the team.

The claim is baseless. There are no credible news reports suggesting Rapinoe has been removed from the team. There is likewise no mention of any altercation between Rapinoe and her teammates or her alleged removal from the team on the team’s website. She continues to be listed on the team’s roster.

The post claims Rapinoe struck a player named Sandy Batt and was then removed by team captain Josephine Barron. However, neither of those names appear on the team’s roster.

A keyword search reveals the claim stems from an article published on the Patriot Party Press website. The site’s “About Us” page describes it as a subsidiary of the “America’s Last Line of Defense network of parody, satire, and tomfoolery.”

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