American Ashton Eaton responds to critics of his Canada hat

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Larry Brown | Last updated 8/13/16

Ashton Eaton felt the need to defend himself via Twitter on Friday night after being criticized for wearing a Canada hat to support his wife.

Eaton is an American decathlete from Portland, Ore. who won the gold medal in the decathlon at the 2012 London Olympics. He is married to Canadian track and field star Brianne Theisen-Eaton, whom he met at the University of Oregon where they both went to college.

While watching his wife compete for Canada in the first four events of the heptathlon at the Rio Olympics Friday, Eaton was seen wearing a red Canada hat to support her.

.@AshtonJEaton is wearing a 'Canada' hat to support his wife, @btheiseneaton! #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/OSn1GkwaQC
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) August 13, 2016

Wearing the hat of another country during the Olympics did not sit well with some Americans, who let Eaton hear it via Twitter. The gold medal winner then defended himself by sending a few tweets:

Have I not represented USA well? Yet u demand more. Ur respect is hard earned. I support the country that produced my wife;who ru2 shame me?
— Ashton Eaton (@AshtonJEaton) August 13, 2016

Are your grandparents from another country? Will your grandchildren be? What then? Hopefully you'll adopt a more reasonable view.
— Ashton Eaton (@AshtonJEaton) August 13, 2016

Eaton should not even have to defend himself. He is not a traitor; he won gold for the U.S. at the last Olympics. It’s hard to do much more for your country in athletics than that.

If anything, Eaton should not be bothered by this silly criticism and instead be proud that it now puts him in the same company as another tremendous athlete.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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