Sports broadcaster ESPN will not air the playing of national anthem ahead of Monday night NFL games.

The national anthem was also not aired during the 16-week plus preseason schedule of last season’s Monday Night Football television programme and the network said there would no change in its policy this year after being asked how it would handle the recent controversy over players taking a knee during the anthem in peaceful protest to police violence.

The company’s president Jimmy Pitaro told journalists: “We generally have not broadcasted the anthem and I don't think there’s going to be any change this year. Our plan going into this year is to not broadcast the anthem”.

He added the network had communicated with the league about its decision and said: “Again, there could be changes. It’s somewhat unpredictable what’s going to happen in the world but as of now our plan now is to not broadcast the anthem….[The NFL has] not asked but we proactively just as a courtesy and as good partners let them know what our plans are”.

It did air three performances of “Star Spangled Banner” over the entirety of the network’s coverage, according to ESPN senior vice president of event and studio production Stephanie Druley.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, after the mass shooting in Las Vegas which resulted in 58 dead, and after Donald Trump’s comments on players kneeling during the national anthem.

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"We've seen the data from our fans that they like the game and that's what they want. So that's where we will keep our focus,” Ms Druley said.

Mr Pitaro also noted while ESPN is not inherently a “political organisation...We are a sports media company. We are always going to cover the intersection between sports and politics”.

The kneeling movement was begun by former San Francisco 49ers player Colin Kaepernick as a way to peacefully protest police violence and the rash of police-involved shooting deaths of young black men and boys across the country.

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He said: "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour."

Mr Trump has routinely criticised NFL players who kneeled during the playing of national anthems ahead of games, even calling them “sons of b******” during a September 2017 rally in Huntsville, Alabama.

He rescinded his invitation to the Philadelphia Eagles after hearing that the team would only send about 10 players rather than the whole team to the White House to honour their 2018 Super Bowl win, which is customary for national champions.

In October 2017, Mr Trump tweeted that because the NFL would "not force" players to stand it was "total disrespect for our great country!"

American sportspeople kneel in protest Show all 14 1 /14 American sportspeople kneel in protest American sportspeople kneel in protest Terrance Smith #48, Eric Fisher #72, Demetrius Harris #84, and Cameron Erving #75 of the Kansas City Chiefs is seen taking a knee before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at the StubHub Center on 24 September, 2017 in Carson, California Sean M. Haffey/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Members of the Dallas Cowboys link arms and kneel during the National Anthem before the start of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on 25 September, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona Christian Petersen/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Bruce Maxwell of the Oakland Athletics kneels as teammate Mark Canha #20 places his hand on Maxwell's shoulder during the singing of the National Anthem before their MLB American League baseball game against the Seattle Mariners at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California on 25 September 2017 Reuters/Stephen Lam American sportspeople kneel in protest Members of the Oakland Unified School District Honor Band kneel as they perform the national anthem before a MLB American League baseball game between the Oakland Athletics and the Seattle Mariners at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California on 25 September, 2017 Reuters/Stephen Lam American sportspeople kneel in protest Samaje Perine #32 and Chris Carter #55 of the Washington Redskins hold hands as they stand and kneel in unison during the national anthem before playing against the Oakland Raiders at FedExField on 24 September, 2017 in Landover, Maryland Patrick Smith/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Meghan Linsey, a former contestant on "The Voice," kneels after singing the national anthem before the start of the Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks football game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee on 24 September, 2017 Ryan Hermens/The Paducah Sun via AP American sportspeople kneel in protest The Los Angeles Chargers are seen during national anthem before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at the StubHub Center on 24 September, 2017 in Carson, California Jeff Gross/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Nick Kyrgios of Team World joined NFL stars from Wembley by dropping his knee before his Laver Cup match with Roger Federer today during his mens singles match against Roger Federer of Team Europe on the final day of the Laver cup on 24 September, 2017 in Prague, Czech Republic Julian Finney/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Laremy Tunsil #67, Maurice Smith #27 and Julius Thomas #89 kneel with Jarvis Landry #14 of the Miami Dolphins during the National Anthem prior to an NFL game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on 24 September, 2017 in East Rutherford, New Jersey Steven Ryan/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Tampa Bay Buccaneers Wide Receivers Mike Evans #13, and DeSean Jackson #11, take a knee during the national anthem before the game against the Minnesota Vikings on 24 September, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota Hannah Foslien/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Denver Broncos players kneel during the American National Anthem before an NFL game against the Buffalo Bills on 24 September, 2017 at New Era Field in Orchard Park, New York Brett Carlsen/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Buffalo Bills players kneel during the American National anthem before an NFL game against the Denver Broncos on 24 September, 2017 at New Era Field in Orchard Park, New York Brett Carlsen/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Colin Kaepernick #7 and Eric Reid #35 of the San Francisco 49ers kneel in protest during the national anthem prior to playing the Los Angeles Rams in their NFL game at Levi's Stadium on September 12, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. The kneel began as a protest against police killing people of colour Thearon W. Henderson/Getty American sportspeople kneel in protest Megan Rapinoe #15 kneels during the National Anthem prior to the match between the United States and the Netherlands at Georgia Dome on 18 September, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia Kevin C. Cox/Getty

It was one in a number of tweets and public comments about the matter.

The NFL had issued a statement in response to Mr Trump's initial comments that said: "divisive comments...demonstrate an unfortunate lack of respect for the NFL, our great game and all of our players, and a failure to understand the overwhelming force for good our clubs and players represent in our communities."

Even NFL owners who are vocal supporters of the President like the New England Patriots' Bob Kraft disapproved of the President's comments. Mr Kraft said he was "deeply disappointed."

However, by March 2018, league Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league thinks "everyone should stand for the national anthem. That's an important part of our policy."

"Our players will state to you publicly they are not doing this in any way to be disrespectful to the flag,” he said during a news conference.

The NFL appeared to cater to political pressure in issuing the ruling which requires players to stand, and only stand, during the national anthem ahead of games or face fines.