US goalkeeper Hope Solo was taunted with chants of “Zika! Zika!” as the US women’s football team played in its Olympic debut in Brazil on Wednesday. A number of athletes cancelled their participation in the Games for fear of contracting the mosquito-borne virus. Brazil says the arrival of winter has greatly reduced the threat.

Solo, 35, said she did not notice the chants of “Zika! Zika!” from the 10,000-strong crowd during the game against New Zealand in the city of Belo Horizonte. When she was told about it she said: “I’m glad the fans had fun, and if they had fun at my expense, more power to them.”

Solo feel bad when crowed chanted Zika zika and though she expressed her feeling on twitter

The posts caused a backlash, with some Brazilians seeing them as a slight to their country, which has been battling a nationwide Zika outbreak. Before Wednesday’s game, Solo said US media had given her the wrong idea about conditions in Brazil.”It’s a little bit unfortunate because I think the American media has been really tough on the people of Brazil,” she said.

US coach Jill Evans said she hoped Brazilians would “realise that Hope has apologised”.”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,” she said.

Tags: goalkeeperhope soloSportsSports News