The U.S Women's football team played their first match of the Olympics on Wednesday against Australia and the crowd "crossed a line" when they chanted homophobic slurs at several of the players on both sides.
At first, the crowd seemed jovial and tried a Mexican wave to start the fun but then it turned quite nasty according to U.S midfielder Megan Rapinoe in the LA Times.
“It is personally hurtful, I think sort of a mob mentality kind of takes over a little bit," she said as she explained that the stretcher crew behind her had to inform her exactly what the crowd were saying.
Many of the other players had to be informed by Brazilians on the sidelines just exactly what they were chanting and told them it was a homphobic slur which is commonly used against men during club games.
"I don’t think most of those fans would have said that directly to my face. I don’t think they mean it in that way,” said Rapinoe, who is an openly gay women along with the U.S' coach Jill Ellis. “But they need to understand that that’s how it’s taken. They need to understand if all of you are willing to do that, what does that say to a gay player? Especially in the men’s game.
“What does that say to players who are struggling to come out?”
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