Eight-year-old girl banned from football tournament 'because she looks like a boy'

Let's get this out of the way nice and early football officials - Girls can have any length hair they damn well want.

Mili Hernandez, who happens to have short hair, is a talented footballer who plays for girls team Omaha Azzuri Cachorros.

Over the weekend she and her team mates were disqualified from a tournament in Nebraska as officials believed she was a boy... Because of her hair.

Mili's family showed the officials her insurance card and a doctor’s physical form, which listed Hernandez as a female but it did little to sway the judgement of the officials.

“When my hair starts to grow I put it short because I’ve always had short hair,” an understandably upset Hernandez told WOWT 6 News in Nebraska.

I didn’t like my hair long. Just because I look like a boy doesn’t mean I am a boy.

The decision has drawn widespread condemnation from top US women’s footballers who have lent their support to Hernandez.

The organisers of the tournament stated that the disqualification was put in place as the team sheet listed Hernandez as a boy. Her coach insisted it was a typo.

Surprised and outraged by the officials decision to disqualify young Hernandez, women around the world (including some famous faces) have teamed up on Twitter and Instagram to show her their support.

They've also been showing off their short haircuts.

Thankfully the decision hasn’t deterred Hernandez from her love for the beautiful game and has already returned to practice.

HT Think Progress

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