A Super Bowl dancer has been hit with a lifetime NFL ban after unfurling a Sudanese-Palestinian flag during Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show, it has been revealed.
As is the case every year, this year’s Super Bowl became a major talking point, generating all manner of stories, rumors, and elements of viral interest. The game itself saw the Philadelphia Eagles claim victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, thus crushing Travis Kelce and co’s dreams of a three-peat.
Having fallen 35-38 to the Chiefs back in February 2023, the Eagles cruised to victory on Sunday (February 9) with a dominant display that saw them run out 40-22 winners.
Yet no self-respecting Super Bowl could ever be complete without a jaw-dropping halftime show, and this year’s offering saw Kendrick Lamar take the stage at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
In a 13-minute showcase that featured 11 songs, as well as a live collaboration with SZA, and cameos from the likes of Serena Williams, Samuel L. Jackson and DJ Mustard, Lamar did his utmost to bury rival Drake (with whom he beefed last year).
Suffice to say there were no end of eye-catching, provocative moments rendered throughout the performance, no shortage of things for people to discuss and deliberate online in the days following.
That included the surprise moment a man posing as one of Kendrick’s back-up dancers sought to interrupt the show by unfurling and proceeding to wave a Sudanese-Palestinian flag.
The banner in question had “Gaza” and “Sudan” written on it, a reference to the conflict the countries of Sudan and Palestine are currently embroiled in.
The flag made its first appearance as the ‘dancer’ stood atop a prop car, which he soon hopped off of before running around the field. Ultimately he was tackled by security and led from the stadium. Now, three days after the fact, reports have named the man as one Zul-Qarnain Nantambu.
Not only that, but the NFL have confirmed that the disrupter has been hit with a lifetime ban from attending football matches after his stunt at the Super Bowl.
“We commend security for quickly detaining the individual who displayed the flag,” the NFL said to UPI, as per Yahoo. “He was part of the 400-member field cast. The individual hid the item on his person and unveiled it late in the show.
“No one involved with the production was aware of the individual’s intent. The individual will be banned for life from all NFL stadiums and events.”
The man himself told NBC: “And I know it would invigorate their faith, seeing somebody supporting them and thinking about them on such a grand stage to bring awareness to that, to their struggles.
“Maybe we don’t have the military prowess to stop the war, but we can at least do what we can to help those who are afflicted by these different atrocities in these countries.”