Joe Faraoni / ESPN Images(RIO DE JANEIRO) – -U.S. women’s soccer goalkeeper Hope Solo was booed and heckled with chants of “Zika, Zika,” during the team’s debut match against New Zealand at the Rio Olympics Wednesday.
Solo, 35, was criticized after tweeting photos last month of her preparations for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, an area that has been heavily impacted by the Zika virus.
Solo, a three-time Olympic medalist, shared a photo of a bed covered in mosquito repellent and a photo of herself holding a bottle of insect repellent and wearing a hat with a net. She used the hashtag #zikaproof alongside both photos.
If anyone in the village forgets to pack repellent, come and see me…#DeptOfDefense #zikaproof pic.twitter.com/x8RdUV6M7c
— Hope Solo (@hopesolo) July 22, 2016
Not sharing this!!! Get your own! #zikaproof #RoadToRio pic.twitter.com/y3d8hnuEjk
— Hope Solo (@hopesolo) July 22, 2016
On Wednesday, fans at the 60,000-capacity Mineirao Stadium booed Solo nearly every time she touched the ball. The crowd added “Zika, Zika,” after their chants of “Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole.”
The goalkeeper had expressed reservations earlier this year about even participating in the Rio Olympics, which have been beset by concerns about crime, water safety and poor living conditions for athletes and members of the press, in addition to Zika.
The USWNT went on to defeat New Zealand 2 to 0.
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