8-Year-Old Girl's Soccer Team Disqualified Because She 'Looks Like A Boy'
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OMAHA, Neb. (CBSMiami) — An 8-year-old girl's soccer tournament was cut short over the weekend and her family says it's due to her hair cut.
Mili Hernandez has short hair. She says that's what led tournament officials to believe she was a boy.
"My brother said it's only because the looks," said Mili. "When they look at me they think I am a boy, but I'm really not."
Boys are not allowed to play on the girls' team, but when Mili's coach tried telling officials she was, in fact, a girl, she and her whole team were disqualified.
"We had an insurance card and we had a paper from when she was five, and it said female on both of them," said Mili's older sister, Alina Hernandez.
So far, there has been no comment from tournament officials.
"They shouldn't be ignoring them for showing proof that she is a girl," said Mili's teammate, Erika Ortez.
But the story did catch the attention of soccer legend Mia Hamm.
Hamm tweeted the young girl, inviting her to train at one of her soccer camps.
Hey Mili, we would love to host you at one of our camps @TeamFirstSA . Be you!
— Mia Hamm (@MiaHamm) June 5, 2017