American
volleyball players Lauren Fendrick and Brooke Sweat have been loudly
booed and taunted with chants of 'Zika!' during an Olympic pool match in
Rio on Sunday.
Each time one of the duo served, the raucous crowd at Copacabana's Beach Volleyball Arena cruelly attempted to put them off.
Their
treatment follows U.S. women's soccer goalie Hope Solo also being
roundly booed in a pool match against France on Saturday night because
of her comments about the mosquito spread virus.
Thousands of
Brazilians mocked Solo with 'Zika' chants during the game against New
Zealand at Estádio Mineirão in Belo Horizonte.
They
taunted her as she walked into the field and every time she went into
play. 'Olê, Olê, Olê, Olá — Zika! Zika!' they chanted.
The
jeers appeared to be in response to recent photos she shared on social
media showing a heavy arsenal of repellent and an anti-mosquito hat.
The
accomplished goalkeeper didn't take any chances when it comes to the
virus that is rife in Brazil, which is spread by a specific kind of
mosquito and can cause birth defects in babies if transferred by
pregnant mothers.
Solo, 34,
posted a picture of a massive amount of repellent and wrote: 'If anyone
in the village forgot to pack repellent, come and see me… #DeptofDefense
#zikaproof.'
She
also shared a selfie wearing a bandanna over he face as well as her
anti-mosquito bonnet — holding a massive bottle of bug repellent too.
She captioned the picture: 'Not sharing this!!!' Get your own!'
Her
pictures sparked controversy in Brazil. The Brazilian women's soccer
team coach, Vadão, said: 'Just like they come prepared, we also prepare
ourselves.
'I myself put on repellent,' he said, according to Brazilian news site GloboEsporte.com.
'Just how she says [to protect herself], when we go to the United
States we have to go with bullet-proof vests because there they shoot in
the streets. To each their own.'
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