BATON ROUGE, La. — Governor Jeff Landry formally asked the LSU Board of Supervisors to create a policy that mandates all student-athletes be present for the National Anthem or risk losing their athletic scholarship.
This comes after the controversy surrounding the LSU Women’s Basketball team when they were not present for the National Anthem during the March Madness Elite Eight tournament.
“By choosing to miss the National Anthem, the basketball team showed a lack of respect not only for the values of our country, but for the individuals who hold these values dear, including LSU Alumni, current students, and fans back home and across the country,” Governor Landry said in his letter addressed to LSU Board of Supervisors Chairman Jimmie Woods Sr.
“Therefore, I urge the board to create a policy that mandates all student-athletes to be present on the field, court, etc. for the National Anthem or risk losing their athletic scholarships. A policy like this would ensure that our student-athletes and their coaches understand the significance of our anthem and our flag, and work to instill the respect for it within their teams.”
After LSU's 94-87 loss to Iowa (33-4) in Albany, N.Y., Mulkey responded to questions about the team's absence for the anthem.
"Honestly, I don't even know when the anthem was played," she told reporters during the post-game press conference. "We kind of a routine where we're on the floor and then they come off at the 12-minute mark. I don't know, we come in and we do our pregame stuff.
"I'm sorry," Mulkey continued. "Listen, that's nothing intentionally done."
Since then, LSU issued a statement claiming the team's absence from the anthem because they were doing pre-game prep.
The full letter can be read below:
