Claim about Texas pulling scholarships for anthem kneeling started as satire | Fact check

Joedy McCreary, USA TODAY
·3 min read
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The claim: The University of Texas revoked the scholarships of 3 football players for kneeling during national anthem

An Oct. 19 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) claims a major college football program took serious action against several players who supposedly protested before a game.

“University of Texas cancelled (sic) scholarships of 3 Football players for kneeling during the National Anthem,” reads part of the post.

It was shared more than 10,000 times in six days.

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Our rating: False

A university spokesperson said the claim is false. It was first shared by a satirical website.

Like most college teams, Longhorns aren’t on field during anthem

University spokesperson John Bianco told USA TODAY in an email that the claim is false.

The Texas Longhorns, like most college football teams, remain in the locker room and are not on the field while the anthem is played, Bianco said.

Fact check: Claim that NFL coaches voted to ban kneeling during anthem is satire

The claim originated in a story posted Oct. 12 on the satirical website SpaceXMania.com. That story is clearly labeled as satire. The author’s bio states that he is “known for his satirical writing," while a disclaimer on the website states that stories bearing a satire label “are often entirely made up.”

Tim Lawson, the publisher of the website, told USA TODAY in a Facebook message that the story is a fabrication.

The Facebook post is an example of what could be called "stolen satire," where stories written as satire and originally presented that way are reposted in a way that makes them appear to be legitimate news. As a result, readers of the second-generation post are misled, which is what happened here.

The NCAA’s bylaws state that schools may not reduce or revoke an athlete’s scholarship during the academic year unless one of several conditions is met. Those range from submitting fraudulent applications or financial aid forms to being involved in what the school’s student disciplinary authority determines to be serious misconduct resulting in a "substantial" punishment.

The national debate about players kneeling during the anthem began in 2016 when former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee to protest racial inequality. Since then, athletes across sports who protested in similar ways have at times faced public criticism.

Player conduct during the pregame ceremony has been a frequent source of satire and outright misinformation. USA TODAY previously debunked claims that Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin cut two players for kneeling, that Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce defied coach Andy Reid's order to kneel and that Colorado coach Deion Sanders benched two players for taking a knee.

USA TODAY reached out to the social media user who shared the post but did not immediately receive a response.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Texas didn't yank football scholarships for anthem kneel | Fact check