stay on the sidelines

to not be actively involved in something

Usage notes: The sidelines are the lines that mark the edges of a sports field.

The majority of western countries decided to stay on the sidelines during the crisis in the Middle East.

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Tegan	-	Welsh
Pugh	[pju:]
Ferrutius	-	Late Roman
Philokrates	-	Ancient Greek
Daina	-	Lithuanian, Latvian
Khalida	-	Arabic