ABC7 presenter Abigail Vélez has apologised after making what she called a 'thoughtless comment' about Bosnia-Herzegovina during live World Cup coverage. The remark, made on the southern California news programme Eyewitness News, drew widespread criticism from the Bosnian national football team and social media users.
What happened on air
Vélez was reporting from a watch party in Long Beach, where the USA had just lost 3-2 to Turkey. Teasing the upcoming match between the USA and Bosnia-Herzegovina, she said: 'One thing about Bosnia, I could not point out where it is on a map. I don't know the first thing about Bosnia and I don't want to know because Team USA, we're back, we're better than ever. Get prepared Bosnia, because you don't want it like that, but you're gonna get it.'
Reaction from the Bosnian team
The official Bosnia-Herzegovina football team account responded on X, posting: 'My goodness, the stereotypes write themselves…' The post has been viewed over 11 million times. The team also noted that ABC News president Almin Karamehmedovic is Bosnian, adding: 'The worst part is the confidence that she said this with!'
Vélez's apology
In an all-text post on Instagram, Vélez wrote: 'In a poor effort to have a little fun with World Cup competition, I took it too far and made a thoughtless comment on air that was insensitive and inappropriate. I apologise to the people of Bosnia and the Bosnian football team. The World Cup is supposed to be about uniting communities around the world, and my comment didn't reflect that spirit. Wishing all the teams the very best as they continue their World Cup journey.'
Divided reactions
The Bosnian team shared the apology, but social media remained divided. Aidan Simardone commented: 'Americans aren't just ignorant, they are proud of their ignorance,' while Mike della Phora wrote: 'Apologise for what? It was a joke aimed at herself.'
