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It was a good three years ago that Bill Belichick visited Donald Trump in the White House.

The legendary football coach hadn't come alone back then.

Belichick was accompanied by the players of the New England Patriots and their owner Robert Kraft.

Together they celebrated the Super Bowl they had won a few weeks earlier.

Next Thursday, Belichick should have come back to the US President's seat.

There, Trump wanted to hang the freedom medal around his neck as one of his last official acts.

But Belichick has now canceled the award with the highest civilian honor in the country.

That emerges from a statement by the 68-year-old NFL coach that was disseminated on Monday.

Belichick justified his waiver of the award with the storm on the Capitol.

After the "tragic events of the past week" the decision was made to forego the planned honor, wrote Belichick.

Belichick's friendship with Trump

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An amazing turnaround, after all, the Patriots coach is considered a friend of Trump and even wrote a letter to him during the 2016 election campaign in which he assured his support.

Bill Belichick justified his waiver of the award with the storm on the Capitol

Source: dpa-infocom GmbH

Belichick now emphasized that one of the most enriching experiences of his coaching career had been to see how in the past year "conversations about social justice, equality and human rights came to the fore and turned into action".

To continue these efforts while remaining loyal to the people, the team and the country I love outweighs any individual award.

Numerous sports stars awarded

The Presidential Medal of Freedom, also known as the Medal of Freedom, was introduced by John F. Kennedy in 1963 and has been awarded over the years to citizens who have made a significant contribution “to the security or national interest of the United States, world peace and cultural or otherwise significant public concerns ”.

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Belichick is one of the most successful coaches in NFL history.

He won the Super Bowl six times with the Patriots and has more league wins than any other active coach.

Trump had already honored other sporting greats such as golfers Annika Sorenstam, Tiger Woods and Gary Player or college football coach Lou Holtz.

Tiger Woods accepted the 2019 Freedom Medal

Source: ZGB