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Danielle O’Toole, pitcher for the Mexican softball team, apologized on Monday after the team was criticized for leaving their uniforms at the Olympic Village in Tokyo.
Mexican softball players had been criticized for leaving uniforms in the trash. Mexican boxer Brianda Tamara Cruz Sandoval found some of the uniforms and criticized the softball team for leaving the clothes behind, according to ESPN.
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“This uniform represents years of effort, sacrifice and tears,” Cruz Sandoval tweeted Thursday. “All of us who are Mexican athletes aspire to wear it with dignity, and today, unfortunately, the Mexican softball team left it in the trash of the Olympic Village.”
O’Toole said she wanted to tell her side of the story and said none of the uniforms were discarded.
“None of my teammates threw away their shirts. It’s been heartbreaking to see how many of you are disappointed and hurt by actions I really didn’t mean to hurt. The amount of hateful and threatening comments we’ve had all received from people assuming we threw it all away has been overwhelming,” read O’Toole’s statement on Instagram.
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“I take responsibility for leaving liner clothes in Tokyo. I asked the village postal department if they ship boxes internationally and they only said letters. We should have asked more questions , consider donating, anything but leave them like us I did and for that I am extremely sorry From the bottom of my heart I tried very hard to put on as much as I could…clothes, toiletries and items of sentimental value in the only suitcase allowed. Yet there is no justification for it, we could have done more. I’m sorry and I hope you can all accept my apology.
Mexico finished fourth, losing to Canada in the bronze medal game, 3-2.
“Wearing Mexico on my chest has been an honor and a privilege,” O’Toole added. “I would never throw anything away with malicious intent or to disrespect the country we worked so hard for. I chose to represent Mexico. I am grateful to my family who came to the United States and worked hard so that I could have this life. So I could play in the Olympics and live my dream. Before this story circulated, we as a team were receiving love, heartfelt messages, and we I could feel your positivity beaming in. I’ve never wanted anything more in my life than to make sure we brought home a medal to Mexico.
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“I played my last game for Mexico, my white shirt is dirty and torn from our last game and it will be forever. I will hang my shirts at home because we have achieved something historic. Because I’m proud to be Mexican, proud of my heritage, proud to have had the honor of representing Mexico.
