Korbin Albert Makes Olympic Team Following Anti-LGBTQ Posts

On Wednesday, June 26, national team coach Emma Hayes announced the 18-woman roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics, which included ten players who played in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

While superstar Alex Morgan did not make the team, Korbin Albert, who has been at the center of controversy over anti-LGBTQ social media posts, did. While Albert has apologized for the posts, she has still received backlash, including booing fans at her USWNT games.

Now that Americans will see her compete in the biggest sporting event in the world, will Korbin Albert continue to face backlash from fans, or will they rally behind her to secure the gold?

The Team USA roster includes midfielders Korbin Albert, Sam Coffey, Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle and Catarina Macario; forwards Crystal Dunn, Trinity Rodman, Jaedyn Shaw, Sophia Smith, and Mallory Swanson; defenders Tierna Davidson, Emily Fox, Naomi Girma, Casey Krueger, Jenna Nighswonger and Emily Sonnett; and goaltenders Casey Murphy and Alyssa Naeher.

The alternates are Lynn Williams, Croix Bethune, Hal Hershfelt, and Jane Campbell.

“Making an Olympic roster is a huge privilege and an honor,” Hayes shared in a statement, per US Weekly. “And there is no denying that it was an extremely competitive process among the players and that there were difficult choices, especially considering how hard everyone has worked over the past ten months.”

“Choosing an 18-player roster plus alternates involved many considerations,” Haynes added. “But I am excited for the group we have selected and I’m looking forward to building on the work from last camp as we head into the Send-Off matches and then onto France.”

After announcing the 2024 Paris Olympics roster, Haynes acknowledged the backlash surrounding Korbin Albert but defended her decision.

“I think she’s demonstrated, in Gold Cup, that she can play, a lot of games in quick succession,” Hayes told reporters on Wednesday, per The New York Post. “She’s got the ability to play all three midfield positions, though [central midfielder] is her best position.”

“There’s no denying there’s been a lot of work that’s been going on in the background to work with Korbin,” Hayes continued. “As I’ve expressed on a couple of occasions, it’s really important that everybody on this team understands the importance of not just being tolerant and respectful and understanding the things that are going to matter to us all.”

The national head coach added how they have moved forward since the controversy. “Korbin has had to learn, and my experiences with her has been someone who, she’s a young person who’s understood fully the implications of her social media activity.”

“I’m not going to go into that in great detail because that’s between Korbin and I,” the national team coach told reporters. “But the conversations we have had have been to talk about the importance of what we have to be mindful of and how we’re all part of an environment that’s one that appreciates and understands the damage that that can do.”

According to the New York Post, at the end of March, Albert shared a video from a Christian sermon where she said being gay and “feeling transgender” is wrong.

She has since apologized. “I’m really disappointed in myself,” Albert said following the backlash.” And am deeply sorry for the hurt that I have caused to my teammates, other players, fans, friends and anyone who was offended.

“I truly believe that everyone should feel safe and respected everywhere and on all playing fields. I know my actions have not lived up to that and for that I sincerely apologize,” she continued, per the Post. “It’s an honor and a privilege to get to play this sport on the world stage and I promise to do better.”

The 2024 Paris Olympics kick off on July 26.