Springfield, NE (WHDH) — Eight-year-old Millie Hernandez loves to play soccer. She also loves her short hair.
Over the weekend, her team was preparing for a finals match up, but organizers believed she was a boy and disqualified her entire team from the match.
Even after showing her insurance card, they wouldn’t allow Millie to play.
Millie’s father said the decision left her in tears while Millie says it is simply unfair.
“When my hair starts to grow,” said Millie. “I put it short because I always had short hair, so I didn’t like my hair long.”
Tournament organizers told Millie she could appeal the ruling with the state soccer association. They responded on Facebook saying they did not oversee the tournament but it is clear their core values were not followed.
“Just because I look like a boy doesn’t mean I am a boy,” said Millie. “But they don’t have a reason to kick the whole club out.”
Soccer star athletes Mia Hamm and Abby Wambach reached out to the young girl to support her.
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