:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47810759/usa-today-8684581.0.jpg)
The USWNT"s first visit to The Aloha State has culminated in a boycott, with the team citing unsafe field conditions.
BREAKING: Tomorrow's #USWNT match vs. Trinidad & Tobago at Aloha Stadium has been called off due to safety concerns with the turf #HISports
— Sam Spangler (@SamSpanglerKHON) December 6, 2015
"U.S. Soccer officials informed us that this game will not be played at approximately nine this evening.
— Aloha Stadium (@AlohaStadiumHI) December 6, 2015
Players had been voicing their discontent with the situation leading up to gameday, with Alex Morgan telling Fox Soccer "no one's really going to protect us but ourselves."
The boycott comes after numerous statements all year long from players that they are often subjected to sub-standard playing surfaces and that the wage gap between the women's and men's teams is unfair, especially based on the success of the women's team.
Now, after Morgan called both the USWNT's practice field and the gameday pitch at Aloha Stadium "horrible," the team has said that they will not play despite US Soccer's claims that the pitch is safe.
According to sources US Soccer & Independent contractor deemed Aloha Stadium turf safe for play, #USWNT disagrees. Beef goes beyond Hawaii.
— Rob DeMello (@RobDeMelloKHON) December 6, 2015
After @ussoccer_wnt further examined the turf - I was told that small sharp plastic pieces (pebbles) were mixed in with the rubber. #uswnt
— Jenny Taft (@JennyTaft) December 6, 2015
The players' complaints apparently took special note of the poor field conditions around the bench areas for both teams.
Now US Soccer will offer refunds for fans, claiming "Player safety is our number one priority at all times..."
No word yet on whether this will have implications for the rest of the Victory Tour. The US is scheduled to play three more games through December 16 in San Antonio, Glendale, and New Orleans, with the next game coming December 10. Though surfaces in those locations may be better, one imagines that this boycott will spur more than just playing surface discussions between the USWNT and USSF.