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Parents of aspiring soccer players react to video of Pride star Alex Morgan's eviction from Epcot

By Ken Tyndall
By Ken Tyndall
On Oct. 1, one of the biggest stars of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team was out with friends at Epcot in Orlando when the night took a major turn for the worse.
Alex Morgan, who also plays for the Orlando Pride, was out with Orlando City player Donny Toia and his wife, and after some sort of altercation, the trio was kicked out of the park and told not to come back.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office released body camera footage of the three as deputies issued them trespass warnings for “conduct not welcome on Walt Disney property.”
Deputies and park officials said Morgan and the Toias were being verbally aggressive, loud and belligerent toward park staff and other guests, according to a Sheriff’s Office report.
Related: Orlando Pride Adds Alex Morgan to Roster
In the video, the three could be heard arguing with the deputy and park employees and at one point, one of them, who was off camera, took exception with how a deputy described their behavior.
“Dude, you guys are lying right now,” the woman can be heard saying. “I can’t imagine what black people go through.”
As his son practiced at XL Soccer World in Orlando on Tuesday, Erlend Kleiven said he was disappointed in what he saw in the body camera video.
“Obviously, as a role model from the national team, for young kids to look up to her, wear her jersey, obviously that’s not something that is good for the sport,” he said.
While soccer dad Jason Gilmore agreed that what he saw in the video was not a good example for aspiring players, he argued that Morgan might be getting more flak than was warranted.
“It isn’t great role model stuff, but on the other hand, I mean, we kind of forgive this stuff, and worse, from male athletes,” he said.
After spending about 15 minutes in a conference room at Epcot, the three were escorted from the park, but not before Morgan assured her friends that the trespass warning wouldn’t stick.
“That’s fine,” she said after hanging up her phone. “It’ll be rescinded tomorrow. It’ll be rescinded tomorrow.”
The Walt Disney Co. warned that if Morgan or the Toias ever entered its property again – which includes all theme parks, water parks and resorts – they could face arrest.
None were charged criminally in connection with the incident.
Morgan apologized for the incident on Twitter.
Watch the full body camera video:

Cox Media Group

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