Kaepernick reflects on 10 years since protest, says he would do it again

Colin Kaepernick spoke with BBC Sport for the first time since his 2016 protest, reflecting on the impact of kneeling during the US national anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality, BBC Sport reported.

Kaepernick said he knew his protest could cost him his NFL career, but he expressed no regrets, stating he would "absolutely do it again," according to BBC Sport.

He initially sat and then knelt during the anthem before San Francisco 49ers games to protest against oppression of Black people and people of color in the US, a gesture that inspired other athletes but also drew criticism, including from then-presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Kaepernick reflected on the broader consequences of activism, citing historical figures like Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. who faced severe repercussions, emphasizing the real risks involved in standing up for civil rights.

He also expressed pride in seeing athlete activism continue, including England footballers taking the knee, and discussed the complex relationship between sports and politics.

Kaepernick believes his protest made him a figurehead for the civil rights movement but also led to his exclusion from the sport he loved, as reported by both BBC Sport and Yahoo Sports.