NWSL Fines San Diego's Alex Morgan for Public Criticism of Referees, Portland's Sophia Smith Comes to Her Defense - The Messenger
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NWSL Fines San Diego’s Alex Morgan for Public Criticism of Referees, Portland’s Sophia Smith Comes to Her Defense

Morgan criticized NWSL referees in a Sunday X post for missing what she believes was a foul committed against her

The NWSL fined San Diego Wave FC forward Alex Morgan for public criticism of referees.Ira L. Black - Corbis/Getty Images

The National Women’s Soccer League fined San Diego Wave forward Alex Morgan for comments detrimental to the league, the league announced on Wednesday.

Morgan violated the “Prejudicial Statements and Public Criticism” section of the league's operations manual in a social media post on Sunday.

The 34-year-old soccer star called a tackle by Current defender Stine Ballisager Pedersen "completely reckless" and pointed out that it had not been called a card or at least a foul, in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter).

The NWSL did not announce how much Morgan will be fined.

Wave head coach Casey Stoney declined to speak more about the officiating after the game, specifically to avoid the fines.

"I don't have anything to say on anything else because I'm not going to give the league any more of my money," Stoney said.

Morgan's USWNT teammate and Portland Thorns forward Sophia Smith came to Morgan's defense not long after the announcement of the fine, saying the NSWL's priorities are "messed up."

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