Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry Calls for College Athletes Who Skip National Anthem to Risk Scholarships

Gov. Jeff Landry (R-LA) on Tuesday called on college boards to implement a policy where student-athletes risk their scholarships when they skip the national anthem.

Landry’s call came a day after the Louisiana State University’s (LSU) women’s basketball team was not present for “The Star-Spangled Banner” ahead of their Elite Eight loss to Iowa, whose players stood for the anthem.

“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 [Kim] Mulkey. However, above respect for that game is a deeper respect for those that serve to protect us and unite us under one flag!” Landry wrote in a post on X.

“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! This is a matter of respect that all collegiate coaches should instill,” he added.

As Breitbart News noted, Baton Rouge Proud sports reporter Chessa Bouche wrote in a post that “LSU is never on the court for the National Anthem” during Monday’s game.

While speaking with reporters after LSU’s 94-87 loss to the Caitlin Clark-led Hawkeyes, Mulkey said the team unintentionally missed the anthem while going through its pregame routine.

“Honestly, I don’t even know when the anthem was played. We kind of have a routine where we are 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 … Listen, that’s nothing intentionally done,” she said.

Many X users responded to a video of Mulkey’s post-game presser, contending her team’s “routine” should be secondary to observing the anthem.