USWNT captains Lindsey Horan and Alex Morgan spoke to reporters Wednesday to address their teammate Korbin Albert’s controversial social media activity that surfaced last week.
Albert, 20, reportedly reposted what appeared to be anti-LGBTQIA+ content on her TikTok account, with one of the posts including a Christian sermon that claimed being gay and “feeling transgender” are wrong and shameful.
The two captains spoke about the situation with statements on Wednesday, calling what happened “extremely sad.”
“We just want to address the disappointing situation regarding Korbin that has unfolded over this past week. We’ve worked extremely hard to uphold the integrity of this national team through all of the generations, and we are extremely, extremely sad that this standard was not upheld,” Horan said.
“Our fans and our supporters feel like this is a team that they can rally behind, and it’s so important that they feel and continue to feel undeniably heard and seen.”
Screenshots also surfaced that showed Albert liking content that appeared to celebrate Megan Rapinoe’s Achilles injury in her final game before retirement — the 2023 NWSL championship game.
“We stand by maintaining a safe and respectful space, especially as allies and members of the LGBTQ+ community,” Morgan said. “This platform has given us an opportunity to highlight causes that matter to us, something that we never take for granted.”
“One thing to also to know is that we have never shied away from hard conversations within this team,” she added.
Neither Horan nor Morgan fielded any questions from the media.
Rapinoe called out the social media activity last week.
“For people who want to hide behind ‘my beliefs,’ I would just ask one question, are you making any type of space safer, more inclusive, more whole, any semblance of better, bringing the best out of anyone?” she wrote on social media.
Albert apologized only after Rapinoe responded to the reported social media activity.
“I want to sincerely apologize for my actions on social media,” Albert posted to her Instagram Story last Thursday. “Liking and sharing posts that are offensive, insensitive and hurtful was immature and disrespectful which was never my intent.
“I’m really disappointed in myself and am deeply sorry for the hurt that I have caused to my teammates, other players, fans, friends and anyone who was offended.”
Albert started all three elimination-stage games in the USWNT’s Concacaf W Gold Cup last month.
While also playing for Paris-Saint Germain, she scored a goal in the team’s 3-0 win over Häcken in the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarterfinals shortly before her apology on Thursday.
