US junior league softball team disqualified for swearing at opponents on Snapchat

A girls' softball team has been kicked out of the world championships for swearing at their rivals.

A member of Atlee junior league softball team, from Virginia, posted a photo on Snapchat of them showing their middle fingers to opponents Kirkland.

They later apologised in a statement, saying the post "did not reflect the core values" of the team.

But they were disqualified from the Junior League World Series, which is shown on US television.

This is a picture of the Atlee team posted by HanoverSports on their Twitter page before the team's disqualification.

Kirkland, from Washington, lost 1-0 to Atlee in a home game on Friday.

Afterwards, a member of the Atlee team posted the photo of six teammates swearing, with the caption, "watch out host".

Little League spokesman Kevin Fountain called the post "inappropriate" in a statement to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, saying it went against the league's "policies regarding unsportsmanlike conduct".

Atlee team manager, Scott Currie, said he had told the 12 to 14-year-olds to apologise in person to the Kirkland team, and demanded the post be deleted.

See a blurred photo of the girls flicking the middle finger.

But he said they shouldn't have been disqualified.

"It's a travesty for these girls. Yes, they screwed up, but I don't think the punishment fit the crime," he told the newspaper.

The team said in a statement that they'd learned a "valuable lesson".

"We expect Little League International will take the time to fully investigate the matter, and we will comply with this investigation by providing all information about unpleasant interactions including the social media post and the time leading up to that event - not all of which were on the part of those of the Atlee softball team.

"Those involved feel very deeply this lapse in judgment, and wish your consideration for their privacy at this time."

Kirkland was chosen to replace Atlee in Saturday's championship game and lost, 7-1, to USA Central.

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