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
Wilheard	-	Anglo-Saxon
London	LUN-dən	English (Modern)
Aman	['æmən]
Kelan	-	Irish
Rosalie	ro-za-LEE (French), RO-zə-lee (English)	French, German, Dutch, English
Abidemi	-	Western African, Yoruba