Reporter Abigail Velez receives criticism for ‘thoughtless’ comments about Bosnia before USA match

A California reporter, Abigail Velez, found herself in hot water after making what many deemed “insensitive” remarks about Bosnia and Herzegovina during her coverage of the World Cup. Although she didn’t intend to offend, she ended up issuing an apology for what she called a joke that “went too far.”

Velez, from ABC7 Los Angeles, was reporting live on the U.S. National Team’s game at a viewing event in Long Beach, California. After the U.S. lost to Turkey with a score of 3-2, she provided updates about their forthcoming match against Bosnia.

In her segment, she jokingly noted, “In the next round, Team USA plays Bosnia next Wednesday, and honestly, we didn’t even know where it was on the map. I mean, I don’t know anything about Bosnia, and to be honest, I’d rather not know. We’re back, and we’re better than ever.”

She continued to make light of the situation, telling Bosnia to prepare for a tough match against the U.S. with phrases like, “Get ready, Bosnia, you guys don’t want it, but you’re going to get it.” This was followed by her handing the report back to the studio, perhaps without realizing the impact of her words.

Responses from Bosnian fans were immediate, with some highlighting her comments as stereotypical. One user remarked, “Oh my god, stereotypes write themselves,” while another criticized her approach, saying, “Competitive stories are always fun, but that’s not the way to do it.” A third comment pointed out that claiming ignorance about a location felt particularly disrespectful.

On Saturday, Velez took to social media to apologize. She admitted that in her effort to be entertaining, she missed the mark with her remarks. “I went too far and made insensitive, inappropriate, and thoughtless comments on air,” she stated, expressing her regret to both the Bosnian people and their football team.

Velez emphasized that the World Cup is about bringing people together, and her comments didn’t embody that spirit. She concluded by wishing all teams success in their World Cup pursuits.

The match between the U.S. Men’s National Team and Bosnia and Herzegovina is set for Wednesday at 8 PM ET at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.

The United States wrapped up group play with a record of 2-0-1, leading Group D with six points. Bosnia, finishing third in Group B with four points on a record of 1-1-1, managed to qualify for the next round as one of the best third-place teams.