Louisiana governor Jeff Landry (R) expressed disappointment after the LSU women’s basketball team missed pre-game ceremonies, particularly the singing of the national anthem, in time for the much anticipated NCAA contest with Iowa.
Landry on Tuesday took to X and blasted the Lady Tigers and their head coach Kim Mulkey for being absent on the court when the national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner, was being played.
“My mother coached women’s high school basketball during the height of desegregation, no one has a greater respect for the sport and for Coach Mulkey,” quipped the Louisiana governor.
“However, above respect for that game is a deeper respect for those that serve to protect us and unite us under one flag!”
As a matter of respect, Landry proposed, “It is time that all college boards, including Regent, put a policy in place that student-athletes be present for the national anthem or risk their athletic scholarship!”
In an interview with Fox News, the former attorney general said that he has sent letters to all the Louisiana college boards to encourage them to create a policy requiring all student-athletes to be present during the National Anthem.
“The National Anthem is as much a part of American sports as is the actual game that’s being played, and the fact that there’s not a policy that says listen, these players are going to be out there and respect the flag and respect those that go out there and protect us is really disrespectful in and of itself,” said Landry.
“And what we’re going to do is work in Louisiana and say, listen, college athletes need to understand that in order to be truly united, in order to truly have civics and civility, we all need to be united under one flag and respect that anthem,” said Landry.
Coach Mulkey’s team, the LSU Lady Tigers, was the defending champions, but on Monday, the Iowa Hawkeyes defeated them by a 94-87 score.
The head coach argued during a press conference that she didn’t know when the anthem was played.
“We kind of have a routine when they’re on the floor and they come off at the 12-minute mark. I don’t know, we come in and we do our pre-game stuff. I’m sorry, listen, that’s nothing intentionally done,” justified Mulkey.
Meanwhile, LSU’s athletics department defended the Lady Tigers and said that this has occurred in recent years.
“Our basketball programs have not been on the court for the anthem for the last several seasons,” quipped Cody Worsham, LSU’s associate athletics director.
“Usually the anthem is played 12 minutes before the game when the team is in the locker room doing final preparations.”
