NFL teams will be fined if players kneel for the US national anthem under a new policy.

The American football league said players who do not stand for the Star-Spangled Banner can stay in the locker room until it has been performed.

The NFL also vowed to “impose appropriate discipline on league personnel who do not stand and show respect for the flag and the Anthem”.​

Players said the protests were against police brutality of African Americans.

“It was unfortunate that on-field protests created a false perception among many that thousands of NFL players were unpatriotic,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in a statement accompanying Wednesday’s new policy.

“This is not and was never the case. This season, all league and team personnel shall stand and show respect for the flag and the Anthem.”

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What must Americans do during the anthem?
NFL players were previously required to be on the field for the anthem, but there was no firm directive to stand during the song.