AN American football player who has been staging sit down protests during the US national anthem to highlight racial injustice in his country has been slammed by Muhammad Ali’s ex wife.
San Francisco 49ner’s quarterback Colin Kaepernick has divided opinion with his behaviour, which has seen him refuse to stand during the song before a number of games in recent weeks before the season kicks off.
Now Muhammad Ali's ex Khalilah Camacho Ali, who was married to the late boxing legend for 10 years until 1977, has slammed his behaviour, saying he owes the nation an apology and needs to protest in a better way.
Speaking to TMZ she said: "What he’s doing right now is not heroic."
"Next, I’d have him make a retraction for his actions against the American flag. He needs to apologize."
Camacho Ali, 66, said she helped Ali when he was grappling with his high profile political stance on issues, and would like to assist Kaepernick: "I helped Muhammad decide whether he was going to the army or going to jail, he listened to my every word.
"You see the impact that had on our nation? Colin could absolutely have the same impact if he made the right decisions to really make a difference.
"If he is willing to get off his high horse and humble himself, we could do a lot of good together."
The NFL player says he is taking his sit down stand to highlight wrong doings against African Americans and the recent spate of police brutality incidents.
He said: "I'm not anti-American. I love America. I love people. That's why I'm doing this. I want to help make America better, and I think having these conversations helps everybody have a better understanding of where everybody is coming from.
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The quarterback said he was also protesting to highlight racial injustice and minority oppression, as well as police brutality.
He is planning to donate the first $1million he earns this season a number of "different organizations to help these communities and help these people."
Kaepernick added: "I am planning to take it a step further, I'm currently working with organizations to be involved, and making sure I'm actively in these communities, as well as donating the first million dollars I make this year to different organizations to help these communities and help these people,"
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The controversial quarterback has also got understanding for his stand - from President Barack Obama.
Speaking at the G20 press conference in Hangzhou, China, on Monday, he said he understood the NFL star’s motivation.
Obama said Kaepernick was "exercising his constitutional right" by sitting down during the national anthem to protest against racial injustice in the country.
The US President said he hadn't been following the situation too closely as he was in China at the conference, but added: "My understanding is that he's exercising his constitutional right to make a statement.
"There's a long history of sports figures doing so, I think there are a lot of ways you can do it.
"As a general matter, when it comes to the flag and the national anthem and the meaning that that holds for the men and women in uniform and those who've fought for us, that is a tough thing for them to get past to then hear what his deeper concerns are. "
Obama added he thought Kaepernick''s actions were sincere: "I think he cares about some real legitimate issues that have to be talked about.
"He's generated more conversation around some topics that have to be talked about."
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