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Megan Rapinoe receives Presidential Medal of Freedom from Joe Biden

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Mueez Ajao

– Shasta County’s Megan Rapinoe, one of the world’s most acclaimed athletes, will add one more award to her tropiesy case next week when she travels to Washington, D.C. to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

– While White House officials were keeping news of the award under wraps, the soccer star’s family has known about the award for more than a week, and they have all their flight arrangements set, said her mother, Denise Rapinoe.

– “We’re completely ecstatic,” Denise Rapinoe said Thursday. “We’re just beyond thrilled and proud of her. And we couldn’t believe it. I mean, she called us and said, ‘Have you put it on speakerphone?’ And I didn’t know what she was going to tell me. I go, ‘Oh, my God, you’re OK, aren’t you?’ I mean, I wasn’t sure if she had an injury or what.

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– “She said, ‘No, Mom, it’s good. Put me on speakerphone. I want you and Dad to hear this. So yeah, it was very, very exciting. And we had tears, and it’s pretty amazing,” Denise Rapinoe said.

– The Palo Cedro native has received numerous athletic awards for her soccer prowess, including an Olympic Gold Medal, two-time U.S. Women’s National Team World Cup champion, FIFA’s Women’s World Player of the Year, Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year and the Ballon d’Or, recognizing her as the 2019 best woman soccer player in the world.

– The 36-year-old, who is engaged to professional WNBA basketball player Sue Bird, has also received nationwide attention as an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, social justice issues and equal pay for women athletes.

– But for all of her daughter’s accolades, Denise Rapinoe said the Presidential Medal of Freedom will be among the most prestigious.

– “It’s right up there at the very top, of course. This is an amazing honor,” Denise Rapinoe said.

– In announcing the 17 individuals receiving the award this year, White House officials said, “the Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor, 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,” the White House said.

– “These 17 Americans demonstrate the power of possibilities and embody the soul of the nation — hard work, perseverance, and faith. They 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 award announcement said.

– Her trip to Washington marks a turnaround from her relationship with former President Trump, who criticized her for kneeling during the national anthem played before soccer games.

– Before the U.S. women’s team won the World Cup in 2019, Rapinoe famously said she would not travel to the White House if invited by the president.

– Denise Rapinoe said Thursday her daughter was in Mexico preparing for World Cup qualifiers and was not available to comment.

– While the elder Rapinoe said next week’s trip for the July 7 ceremony will be her first White House visit, it won’t be for Megan, who was invited to Washington during the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations.

– Rapinoe also visited President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden in March 2021 for Equal Pay Day.

– Rapinoe and 27 other players filed a lawsuit in 2019 against the U.S. Soccer Federation alleging pay discrimination for earning less than their male counterparts.

– While the suit was dismissed, U.S. Soccer and the women’s team have agreed to work together to improve working conditions for women and increase pay equity.

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