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Super Bowl 2019: Colin Kaepernick denies approving Travis Scott's performance

The free agent has been retweeting messages contesting the idea that he greenlit Scott's halftime show

Clémence Michallon
New York
Wednesday 16 January 2019 16:28 GMT
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Colin Kaepernick receives the SI Muhammad Ali Legacy Award during SPORTS ILLUSTRATED 2017 Sportsperson of the Year Show on 5 December, 2017 at Barclays Center in New York City.
Colin Kaepernick receives the SI Muhammad Ali Legacy Award during SPORTS ILLUSTRATED 2017 Sportsperson of the Year Show on 5 December, 2017 at Barclays Center in New York City.

Colin Kaepernick has denied giving Travis Scott the green light to perform during the Super Bowl.

The free agent has been retweeting messages contesting the idea that he somehow approved Scott's forthcoming halftime show.

Earlier reports stated that Scott had consulted Kaepernick before confirming his Super Bowl gig.

Sources told Variety Scott and Kaepernick had at least one phone conversation about the matter and that, while they did not necessarily see eye to eye on everything, they had come out of the exchange in a spirit of respect and understanding.

The report doesn't claim that Kaepernick approved Scott's performance per se, but the athlete appeared to further clarify his position on Twitter, where he has a verified account.

Kaepernick has so far retweeted four messages related to Scott's halftime show, one of which reads: "Kap did not approve this bulls*** Get the f*** outta here...."

Another, written by Kaepernick's girlfriend Nessa Diab, states: "There is NO mutual respect and there is NO understanding for anyone working against @Kaepernick7 PERIOD. #stoplying"

In 2016, Kaepernick, then a San Francisco 49er, started kneeling during the National Anthem before games, as a way to protest police brutality and the oppression of black people and people of colour.

He opted out of his contract and became a free agent in March 2017.

The quarterback has since filed a lawsuit against the NFL, accusing the organisation of colluding to deprive Kaepernick of employment in retaliation for his activism.

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A request by the NFL to dismiss the case was denied in August 2018 by an arbitrator, meaning the case will move to a full hearing.

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