Reporter's World Cup Comments Spark Controversy
Abigail Velez, a reporter for ABC7 Los Angeles, faced criticism and later issued an apology following comments she made on air about Bosnia and Herzegovina, the upcoming opponent for the U.S. Men's National Team (USMNT) in the World Cup. The incident occurred during her coverage of a USMNT watch party in Long Beach, California, last Thursday.
The On-Air Remarks
While concluding her segment after the USA's loss to Turkey, Velez looked ahead to the next game. She stated, "The next round, Team USA will play Bosnia next Wednesday and one thing about Bosnia, I could not point out where it is on a map."
She continued with what she intended as sports banter: "I don’t know the first thing about Bosnia and I don’t want to know because Team USA, we’re back, we’re better than ever. That’s next Wednesday. Get prepared, Bosnia, because you don’t want it, you don’t want it like that, but you’re gonna get it. That’s next Wednesday."
These remarks, seemingly intended as playful sports commentary, generated significant public disapproval.
Backlash and Formal Apology
Among those who reacted was the official Bosnian national soccer team account, which posted on social media:
My goodness, the stereotypes write themselves……
This particular social media post, which included Velez’s original comments, had garnered over 10 million views at the time of reporting. The Bosnian team later updated its feed, seemingly acknowledging the reporter's subsequent apology.
In response to the widespread criticism, Velez released a statement apologizing for her comments. She explained:
In a poor effort to have a little fun with World Cup competition, I took it too far and made a thoughtless comment on air that was insensitive and inappropriate. I apologize to the people of Bosnia and the Bosnian Football team.
Velez further reflected on the spirit of the event:
The World Cup is supposed to be about uniting communities around the world, and my comment didn’t reflect that spirit. Wishing all the teams the very best as they continue their World Cup journey.
The incident highlights the fine line between spirited sports rivalry and potentially offensive commentary in live broadcasts.
