American decathlete Ashton Eaton sports red, white and blue on the track. But in the stands at the Olympic Stadium, he decided to drop the blue — albeit temporarily.

Defending Olympic champion Eaton ― decked out in a red baseball cap emblazoned with the word “Canada” ― was cheering on his wife, Canadian heptathlete Brianne Theisen-Eaton, who was in her first day of competition.

Viewers noticed.

While some lauded Eaton for support his wife, the world champion was also on the receiving end of much online criticism.

He was called a traitor, accused of breaking United States supporters’ hearts and deplored for not finding some other way of supporting his wife other than adopting her country’s colours.

Following the day’s events, in which Theisen-Eaton found herself sixth at the midway mark —the medal will be decided Saturday night — Eaton took on his detractors via social media.

“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?” he tweeted.

“Are your grandparents from another country? Will your grandchildren be? What then? Hopefully you’ll adopt a more reasonable view.”

This isn’t the first time the couple, who met while running track at the University of Oregon, has faced some controversy during a Games.

At the London Olympics, Theisen-Eaton was introduced as Ashton Eaton’s fiancée.

“That just ate me up,” she told the Star’s Kerry Gillespie last year, rolling her eyes at the memory.

“You can’t follow in those footsteps, “she told herself after those Games, “or you’ll always be in the shadow.”

During these Games, Theisen-Eaton is very much out of her husband’s shadow.

Know for her consistency across all seven events, the Saskatchewan native is considered a medal contender in the heptathlon. Sports Illustrated and Infostrada, a sports data company, both predicted she would win gold in Rio.

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On Saturday morning, the organization that backs Theisen-Eaton, Athletics Canada, backed Eaton.

“We appreciate the support for your wife, & we’re cool with Bri supporting (the U.S.) when you compete,” the organization tweeted.

United States Track and Field, America’s national governing body for the sport, also weighed in, tweeting, “we’re #TeamEaton all the way when it comes to Ash & Bri.”

It is not the first time an American athlete’s patriotism was questioned during these games.

Gymnast Gabby Douglas was criticized when she didn’t place her hand over her heart during the playing of the national anthem after U.S. women’s gymnastics squad won gold in the overall team competition Tuesday.

Douglas later tweeted that she always stands at attention during the anthem, never meant any disrespect and apologized if she offended anyone.