Alejandro Bedoya’s and Jozy Altidore’s responses to Abby Wambach’s arrest won’t sever ties between the United States men’s and women’s national soccer teams, but they aren’t likely to create harmony between the sides either.
Bedoya and Altidore used Twitter on Sunday to mock news of Wambach’s arrest on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol earlier in the day. Bedoya’s response referred to controversial remarks Wambach made in December in which she criticized U.S. men’s coach Jurgen Klinsmann for including so many “foreign guys” on his rosters.
@FOXSoccer must've been a foreign American player's fault…….
— Alejandro Bedoya (@AleBedoya17) April 3, 2016
Altidore jumped in with a reference to the January 2015 DUI arrest of Jerramy Stevens — husband of U.S. women’s goalkeeper Hope Solo — who was driving one of the team’s vans when police stopped him.
https://twitter.com/JozyAltidore/status/716712723195629568
Wambach, an iconic and recently retired player, apologized on Facebook later Sunday.
Not everyone appreciated the men’s players’ responses, and Bedoya responded to heavy criticism with further comments.
So, what I'm learning now via Twitter is that some people value athletic achievement more than human life…. Got that.
— Alejandro Bedoya (@AleBedoya17) April 3, 2016
And if you can dish out criticism, like make xenophobic comments, than I'm sure you can take criticism also when you mess up.
— Alejandro Bedoya (@AleBedoya17) April 3, 2016
I almost forgot that I have to be politically correct because I'm an athlete.
We're human. Abby took full responsibility. Good. #1N1T #USWNT— Alejandro Bedoya (@AleBedoya17) April 3, 2016
Whether this demonstrates simmering tension between the teams or is just an isolated incident remains to be seen.
Thumbnail photo via Derick E. Hingle/USA TODAY Sports Images
