On July 4, MexicoB次元官网网址檚 Olympic Committee tweeted several photos of its softball players giving thumbs up to the delivery of their official apparel for the Tokyo Games, with stacks of boxes in the background.

On Thursday in Tokyo, the gear was pictured on Twitter again B次元官网网址� in trash bags on the floor of the Athletes Village.

Two female Mexican boxers posted photos on Twitter of the softball teamB次元官网网址檚 red, white and green Olympic clothing stuffed into clear bags with other garbage, adding messages critical of the players who left them behind. All but one member of the 15-woman roster was born in the United States, and all 15 played softball at NCAA Division I universities, including pitcher Danielle OB次元官网网址橳oole and outfielder Stefania Aradillas at San Diego State.

The players, most of whom have returned to the U.S., remained quiet on social media. Rolando Guerrero, president of the Mexico Softball Federation, spoke in an interview with Olympic broadcaster TV Azteca, saying players were issued nine sets of apparel B次元官网网址� three each in red, white and green B次元官网网址� and they were unable to pack them all without incurring overweight luggage charges at the airport, particularly with their bats, gloves and cleats.

Most flew Japanese airline ANA, which allows two bags up to 50 pounds each in economy class. Excess baggage charges are $60 for 20 pounds over and $200 for anything beyond that.

B次元官网网址淲ith all due respect,B次元官网网址� Guerrero told TV Azteca, B次元官网网址渨eB次元官网网址檙e not going to attack anybody, weB次元官网网址檙e not going to respond, weB次元官网网址檙e not going to say anything on social media. It was simply an issue of overweight baggage fees. B次元官网网址� ItB次元官网网址檚 not that big a deal. They left one or two (sets).B次元官网网址�

Mario Garcia, MexicoB次元官网网址檚 head of delegation in Tokyo, wasnB次元官网网址檛 so understanding. He launched an investigation and said he will consider sanctions against any offending parties.

B次元官网网址淚 do feel it is an offense to our national identity,B次元官网网址� Garcia told Mediotiempo. B次元官网网址淲e would have liked it not to have happened, because the Mexican Olympic Committee defended that biculturalism that the team had.B次元官网网址�

Mexico finished fourth in the six-team tournament in its Olympic softball debut, losing 3-2 against Canada in the bronze medal game that was played Tuesday afternoon in Tokyo (late Monday night Pacific time). Athletes are required to depart Japan within 48 hours of their final event, and boxers Brianda Tamara and Esmeralda Falcon posted photos on social media of what they left behind.

B次元官网网址淭his uniform represents years of effort, sacrifice and tears,B次元官网网址� Tamara tweeted in Spanish with accompanying photos. B次元官网网址淎ll Mexican athletes yearn to wear it with dignity, and today the Mexican softball team sadly left it all in the garbage of the Olympic village.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淎re you sure?B次元官网网址� someone tweeted her.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 sure,B次元官网网址� Tamara replied, with another photo of a green B次元官网网址淢exico softballB次元官网网址� T-shirt at the top of a trash bag.

About 15 minutes later, Falcon posted photos showing at least four bags of red, white and green gear. In one, the clothing was mixed among a discarded coffee cup, an empty plastic Coke bottle and a leather mitt.

B次元官网网址淧erhaps for some of the fellow athletes, it means B次元官网网址榥othing,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Falcon wrote. B次元官网网址淭hese uniforms for many others represent our years of work, dedication, love and passion. Too bad the Mexican softball team doesnB次元官网网址檛 see it that way.B次元官网网址�

The team has come under scrutiny on both sides of the border for its U.S. roots. When Mexico faced the United States in pool play, U.S. Ken Eriksen joked, B次元官网网址淵ou only had to play one national anthem today.B次元官网网址�

Aradillas is the only player born in Mexico, and she admits only a few teammates speak fluent Spanish. The predominant language among the team is English, she said, B次元官网网址渂ecause itB次元官网网址檚 easier.B次元官网网址�

One of those who speaks Spanish is Sashel Palacios, who grew up in Chula Vista and attended Otay Ranch High. She has said she wouldnB次元官网网址檛 play for another country, even if the U.S. offered, noting that her father played baseball in Mexico before moving to the South Bay. But not everyone has such strong ties to Mexico, creating an uneasy relationship with the country they represent.

B次元官网网址淲e received criticism,B次元官网网址� Palacios told ESPN Deportes recently. B次元官网网址淔or example, we were in Puerto Vallarta at a camp and a couple of us spoke Spanish but most did not, and people said things to us for not speaking the language or not being born in Mexico. But we have to focus on the whole picture, we are playing for our families who did not have the opportunity that we have today to play this sport and take it to this level.B次元官网网址�

OB次元官网网址橳oole, Dallas Escobedo and Sydney Romero all played for the U.S. national team before being cut and switching allegiances to Mexico. International rules require only one of four grandparents have Mexico citizenship to qualify.

B次元官网网址淚t is truly an honor to represent USA in softball,B次元官网网址� Romero, who grew up in Temecula, is quoted in her USA Softball bio. B次元官网网址淲earing USA across my chest is a dream come true.B次元官网网址�

In OB次元官网网址橳ooleB次元官网网址檚 USA Softball bio, she is quoted: B次元官网网址淭o be able to play alongside the best and represent the best country in the world is incredibly humbling and special.B次元官网网址�

None of the players was available for comment, and none had posted messages about the allegations on social media (several have accounts that arenB次元官网网址檛 public). Juan Landa, listed by Tokyo organizers as the media liaison for the Mexico Olympic Committee, did not return an email.

When asked during the Olympics about the criticism back home, Aradillas told the Union-Tribune: B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 always going to be talking about our team. That means weB次元官网网址檙e doing great things together. WeB次元官网网址檙e just very blessed to have the attention right now and be at the Olympic Games, the biggest stage in sports. WeB次元官网网址檙e taking advantage of that.

B次元官网网址淚t doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter where weB次元官网网址檙e born or what language we speak. WeB次元官网网址檙e representing a country, and I think weB次元官网网址檙e doing it well.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擬ark Zeigler, The San Diego Union-Tribune