On July 7, Megan Rapinoe was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by U.S. President Joe Biden, along with 16 other individuals in a ceremony at the White House. Among those individuals is fellow athlete Simone Biles.
Rapinoe received a call from Biden on June 23 to inform her of the honor, leading to an amusing exchange with teammate Kelley O'Hara. As the Caller ID screen flashed "White House," Rapinoe thought it was a prank.
“You probably need to pick that up,” said O’Hara. She did, eventually, and heard, “Please hold for the President of the United States."
In order to make the trip to Washington, D.C., Rapinoe, who is part of the USWNT squad for the CONCACAF W Championship this summer, will miss the team's second group stage match against Jamaica, set to kick off at 7 p.m. ET on July 7 in Monterrey, Mexico.
“Megan is of course very disappointed about missing a game, but I told her to go," said USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski. "She has to go. This is a once in a lifetime honor. She deserves it, and she will be representing herself, her team and her country at the White House.
"I think I can speak for everyone at U.S. Soccer when I say we are very proud of Megan and the impact she’s made on our sport and our country as a person and a player."
MORE: 2022 CONCACAF W Championship scores, schedule, and highlights
What is the Medal of Freedom?
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian honor in the United States. It is the civilian equivalent of the Medal of Honor, which is the highest military honor a U.S. president can bestow.
"The Presidential Medal of Freedom is presented to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors." read the White House news release announcing the 2022 award recipients.
"The Presidential Medal of Freedom is not just our nation's highest civilian honor," said former president Barack Obama at a Medal of Freedom award ceremony during his presidential tenure.
"It's a tribute to the idea that all of us, no matter where we come from, have the opportunity to change this country for the better. From scientists, philanthropists, and public servants to activists, athletes, and artists, these individuals have helped push America forward, inspiring millions of people around the world along the way."
Why Megan Rapinoe received the Presidential Medal of Freedom?
Megan Rapinoe has received plaudits on the soccer field across her 16-year international career, but her receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom will come for her accomplishments off it.
Rapinoe was one of the champions of the recent collective bargaining agreement with U.S. Soccer that pioneered some of the most progressive equal pay provisions in women's soccer globally.
The 37-year-old is also a champion for gay and transgender rights globally and she was one of the first women, along with USA teammate Alex Morgan, to sign up for the "Common Goal" campaign created by former Manchester United player Juan Mata, which saw athletes donate one percent of their wages to soccer-related charities.
This year's recipients "have overcome significant obstacles to achieve impressive accomplishments in the arts and sciences, dedicated their lives to advocating for the most vulnerable among us, and acted with bravery to drive change in their communities — and across the world — while blazing trails for generations to come," the White House said.
Specifically on Rapinoe, the White House noted that "she is a prominent advocate for gender pay equality, racial justice, and LGBTQI+ rights."
MORE: Explaining the equal pay deal between U.S. Soccer and the players
Joe Biden presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Megan Rapinoe. pic.twitter.com/J3ezVBrqWy
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 7, 2022
Have any soccer players received the Medal of Freedom?
Megan Rapinoe is the first soccer player to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Rapinoe and Simone Biles will become the fifth and sixth female sports figures to be awarded the honor after Billie Jean King, Pat Summitt, Babe Didrikson Zaharias, and Annika Sorenstam.
Other male athletes and sports figures to have earned the Medal of Freedom include college football coach Lou Holtz, Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera, golfer Tiger Woods, Yankees legends Babe Ruth and Yogi Berra, NBA great Michael Jordan, Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully, boxing legend Mohammad Ali, and golfing greats Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer.
Others receiving the Medal of Freedom in the July 7 ceremony alongside Rapinoe will be:
- actor Denzel Washington
- former U.S. Senator John McCain
- former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords
- Apple co-founder Steve Jobs
- Sandra Lindsay, the first individual in the USA to receive the COVID-19 vaccine
McCain and Jobs will be awarded their medals posthumously.