Brazilian fans boo Hope Solo at Olympics over Zika comments
Aug 4, 2016, 8:02 AM
United States goalkeeper Hope Solo takes the ball during a women's Olympic football tournament match against New Zealand at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Eugenio Savio)
(AP Photo/Eugenio Savio)
On Wednesday, US National Team and Seattle Reign goalie Hope Solo was the recipient of a lot of jeers from Brazilian fans because of her outspoken concerns about the Zika virus.
During the game, Solo was teased by fans chanting “Zika, Zika” at her every time she kicked the ball in the game against New Zealand.
The crowd of nearly 10,000 fans at the 60,000-capacity Mineirao Stadium booed the goalkeeper with references to the virus that has scared many athletes ahead of the Rio Games.
Hope Solo continues to hilariously get booed in Belo Horizonte #USAvNZL pic.twitter.com/hxiDZGS4Fj
— Andrew Jerell Jones (@sluggahjells) August 3, 2016
But Solo said she was not bothered by the chanting.
“I’m glad the fans had fun,” Solo said. “And if they had fun at my expense, more power to them.”
Solo upset some Brazilians before coming to the Olympics by tweeting an over-the-top photo of herself wearing a hat covered with mosquito netting and a bandana over her face while holding a large bottle of mosquito repellent. She also posted a photo of dozens of packs of mosquito repellent that she was packing for her trip to Brazil.
If anyone in the village forgets to pack repellent, come and see me…#DeptOfDefense #zikaproof pic.twitter.com/x8RdUV6M7c
— Hope Solo (@hopesolo) July 22, 2016
She made amends a few days before the games, blaming the American media for spreading fear about Zika and other problems ahead of the Rio Games. She said the media was being “really tough on people of Brazil.”
Not sharing this!!! Get your own! #zikaproof #RoadToRio pic.twitter.com/y3d8hnuEjk
— Hope Solo (@hopesolo) July 22, 2016
The veteran goalkeeper said she didn’t realize during the game that the fans were chanting “Zika,” and thought they were only yelling a common slur that local clubs sometimes use against goalkeepers at goal kicks.
Some of the fans were indeed yelling the slur early in the game, but later the majority of the crowd started with the “Zika” chant, which was also repeated after the final whistle.
“That’s something hopefully they will put behind them and realize that Hope has apologized to the Brazilian people,” U.S. coach Jill Ellis said of the fans. “Sometimes mistakes are made. We are used to getting booed in other countries, so that part of it is not foreign. I hope the Brazilian people appreciate what we are trying to do with the ball and move past that.”
