The United States women’s national team has held internal conversations about midfielder Korbin Albert‘s social media activity, which appeared to support anti-LGBTQIA+ content and make light of an injury to former U.S. winger Megan Rapinoe, captain Lindsey Horan and veteran forward Alex Morgan said Wednesday.
“We stand by maintaining a safe and respectful space, especially as allies and members of the LGBTQ+ community and this platform has given us an opportunity to highlight causes that matter to us, something that we never take for granted,” Morgan told reporters from the U.S. camp outside Atlanta.
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“And we’ll keep using this platform to give attention to causes that are important to us. It’s also important to note we’ve had internal discussions around the situation and that will stay within the team. But one thing also to know is that we have never shied away from hard conversations within this team.”
Morgan and Horan each appeared briefly on a virtual media call ahead of the SheBelieves Cup to “address the disappointing situation regarding Korbin that has unfolded over this past week,” as Horan described it. Neither player fielded any questions.
“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.”
Last week, fans discovered that Albert had shared a video from a Christian sermon with someone expressing shame about being gay and “feeling transgender.” Purported screengrabs also surfaced of Albert liking a post that appeared to celebrate Rapinoe’s Achilles injury in the 2023 NWSL championship in November, which was her final game before retirement.
Albert apologized hours after Rapinoe spoke out publicly to condemn hateful actions.
“Liking and sharing posts that are offensive, insensitive and hurtful was immature and disrespectful which was never my intent,” Albert wrote last week. “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, 20, is currently in camp with the United States after starting all three knockout-stage games in the USWNT’s Concacaf W Gold Cup triumph last month. She is a rising star for the U.S. and for club Paris Saint-Germain. Moments before issuing her apology last week, Albert scored a goal that helped PSG secure a spot in the UEFA Women’s Champions League semifinals.
Rapinoe wrote in her message 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?”
The U.S. will play Japan on Saturday in Atlanta to kick off the 2024 SheBelieves Cup.