Riley Gaines Exposes the Issue With LeBron James As USA’s Olympic Flag Bearer

The U.S. Olympic team is facing early disappointments, highlighted by the men’s soccer team’s 3-0 loss to France in their first Olympic appearance since 2008.

As the Olympics begin, attention is also on LeBron James, who has been named as the male flag bearer for Team USA during the opening ceremonies.

While James expressed pride in representing the country, his history of activism, including kneeling during the national anthem and vocal criticisms of American institutions, has led to controversy, with some viewing his selection as problematic.

THIS is who was chosen as the U.S. flag bearer for the opening ceremony of the Olympics.

Anyone who has ever knelt for the national anthem should be disqualified from this honor. pic.twitter.com/2zNR95f5XI

— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) July 24, 2024

“To wave the flag for, not only for us as a men’s national team, but for all the Olympians, I hold that with the utmost honor,” James said. “It’s very easy [for it] to be humbling when … [it’s]something that you never dreamed about before.”

“Being a kid from the inner city in Akron, Ohio, to being able to represent our country in a whole other country, in Paris and in France, it’s just … a loss of words, something that you never dreamed of. It’s an absolute honor.”

James added, “I hope I continue to make my community proud and continue to make my family proud.”

Activist Riley Gaines argued that his past actions should disqualify him from such an honor, especially following the soccer team’s loss, raising concerns about the broader implications for American representation in the Olympics.