FACTCHECK: Megan Rapinoe was kicked off the U.S. women’s soccer team for assaulting another player?

A post shared by Facebook Claims Megan Rapinoe was kicked out of the U.S. national soccer team for attacking another player.

Verdict: False

There is no evidence suggesting Rapinoe was removed from the team for any reason. This viral claim is based on satirical websites.

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. According to the outlet, she was honored for her Olympic accomplishments as well as her advocacy of LGBTQ rights.

A Facebook post claims that she was removed from the team recently after she assaulted 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. Rapinoe allegedly attacked one of her teammates during practice, after asking the star to stop wearing a pride flag “as a cape”. The July 19 post claims that Rapinoe was removed from the team by the rest of the players.

The claim is false. There is no credible information indicating Rapinoe was 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 claimed Rapinoe had struck Sandy Batt. Team captain Josephine Barron removed the claim. 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.”