Lauren James apologizes for red card incident in Women's World Cup round 16, expressing regret and learning from experience

Posted : 08 August 2023

England forward Lauren James has taken responsibility and expressed regret for her red card incident in the Women's World Cup round of 16 match against Nigeria. She conveyed her apology to Michelle Alozie, the player she made contact with, as well as to England fans and her teammates. James mentioned that she will learn from this experience.

The red card was issued after a VAR review revealed that James had stamped on Michelle Alozie's back during the match, which England eventually won on penalties. As a consequence, James will serve a suspension and miss the quarter-final clash with Colombia scheduled for Saturday.

Acknowledging her wrongdoing, James stated on social media, "All my love and respect to you. I am sorry for what happened. Also, for our England fans and my teammates, playing with and for you is my greatest honor and I promise to learn from my experience."

Despite this incident, James was a standout performer in England's group matches, contributing significantly with three goals and three assists.

England's team management also issued a statement on the matter, expressing that James is genuinely remorseful and that her actions were out of character. They added that they will provide full support to her during the disciplinary process.

The timeline for any decision from FIFA regarding the situation remains uncertain, and there is a possibility that the ban might extend to more than one game, potentially affecting James's participation for the remainder of the tournament even if England progresses.

In response, England affirmed their commitment to following FIFA's disciplinary procedure and stated that they will refrain from making further comments until a decision is reached.

Michelle Alozie, who plays for Houston Dash in the US, acknowledged the intense emotions of the game and conveyed respect for Lauren James despite the incident. She mentioned, "We are playing on the world's stage. This game is one of passion, insurmountable emotions, and moments. All respect for Lauren James."

England's head coach, Sarina Wiegman, supported James, explaining that the incident was a result of inexperience and a momentary lapse of emotions. She emphasized that it wasn't intentional and that James, known for her kind nature, would never deliberately harm someone.

Lauren James apologizes for red card incident in Women's World Cup round 16, expressing regret and learning from experience

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