Mexico's softball players threw their Olympic uniforms in the trash, got called out, then said they didn't have space in their luggage
- Mexico's softball team left a number of its Olympic uniforms in the trash in Tokyo.
- The discovery was made by a Mexican boxer, who posted pictures of the dumped attire on social media.
- Pitcher Danielle O'Toole has apologized for her team's actions.
The discovery was made last week by Mexican boxer Brianda Tamara Cruz, who posted pictures of the dumped attire to social media.
"This uniform represents years of effort, sacrifice and tears," said Cruz. "All of us who are Mexican athletes yearn to wear it with dignity, and today sadly the Mexican softball team left it in the Olympic Village's trash."
Criticism from Carlos Padilla Becerra, president of the Mexican Olympic Committee, followed.
"It's regrettable that they left behind the uniforms in such an inappropriate place as the garbage in favor of some bedspreads from the Olympic Village," he told ESPN.
Pitcher Danielle O'Toole on Saturday posted on apology for the team's actions, insisting that none of the athletes threw the outfits away maliciously. 14 of the 15 players on the team were born in the United States.
O'Toole also claimed that she and none of her teammates threw their actual Olympic jerseys away, but that some clothing was indeed left behind.
"Wearing Mexico across my chest has been an honor and a privilege. I would never throw anything away with malicious intent or to disrespect the country we worked so hard for," she said.
"The amount of hateful and threatening comments all of us have received from people assuming that we threw everything away has been overwhelming.
"From the bottom of my heart. I tried very hard to fit as much as I could - clothing, toiletries, and items of sentimental value into the one suitcase that was allowed. Still, there is no justifying it, we could have done more.
"We should have asked more questions, looked into donating, anything except leaving them the way we did and for that I am extremely sorry."
Mexican Softball Federation president Rolando Guerrero also came out to defend his players amid the controversy.
"It was a matter of excess weight," he said.
"If it was in the trash and people were sniffing around, they had to make room in their luggage because for a softball team it's not the same packing 33 bats, catchers' equipment, game gear, three uniforms and workout clothes as it is to pack a pair of gloves," Guerrero said.
"It's much easier to pack a pair of gloves, all due respect. We won't be going after anyone or responding, or rebutting anything on social media.
"It was simply a matter of too much cargo."
Mexico finished fourth in the women's softball tournament in Tokyo, losing 3-2 to Canada in the bronze-medal game.