ABC7 Los Angeles reporter Abigail Velez has apologized for comments she made about Bosnia-Herzegovina during a World Cup segment. Velez, covering the U.S. national team's match against Turkey, said she 'could not point out where [Bosnia-Herzegovina] is on a map' and claimed she 'didn’t know the first thing about Bosnia and I don’t want to know.' She later added, 'Get prepared, Bosnia, because you don’t want it... but you’re gonna get it.'
The remarks sparked backlash, including from the Bosnian national soccer team, which tweeted, 'My goodness, the stereotypes write themselves.' Velez later issued an apology, stating her comments were 'in a poor effort to have a little fun with World Cup competition' and calling them 'insensitive and inappropriate.' She added, 'The World Cup is supposed to be about uniting communities around the world and my comment didn’t reflect that spirit.'
The incident highlights the delicate balance between sportsmanship and cultural sensitivity in international competitions.