Proposal for Honduran Soccer Etiquette - National Anthems

Returning Catracho Report image

La Sele training in SPS - I didn't date this picture so I don't know when this happened - sometime in 08

My Proposal for Honduran Soccer Etiquette: Respect every visitor's national anthem.

I would also like to issue my sincerest apologies to every Jamaican, Puerto Rican, Canadian, Haitian, and Mexican (double apology to Rosa's family for that one) and their national soccer teams for disrespecting your anthem while hosting you during World Cup Classification.

This is what currently happens when we host a foreign soccer team.

Mexican National Anthem at Estadio Olimpico in San Pedro Sula



Honduran National Anthem at Estadio Olimpico in San Pedro Sula



I know that muffling a visitor's national anthem intimidates the team before the match, but I suggest we accomplish this with our pride instead of a display of poor manners. Other than creating a negative image, the current practice may provoke negative results. If you've ever participated in any level of organized sports, you know that athletes feed off negative energy. We don't want to set off a Landon Donovan or Cuauhtemoc Blanco. Don't motivate them, make them work for it.