Should Abby Wambach Be Suspended For Referee Comments?
By Ty Duffy
The USWNT beat Colombia 2-0 last night. U.S. striker Abby Wambach was asked about the yellow cards that got Megan Rapinoe and Lauren Holiday suspended. She said the following:
"“It seemed like she was purposefully giving those yellows to the players she knew were sitting on yellows. I don’t know if it was just a psychological thing. Who knows?”"
Wambach questioned the referee’s integrity. FIFA has not look fondly upon that in the past. There is some speculation she could (or should) be facing a suspension.
Canada’s Christine Sinclair, notably, was suspended four matches for comments after the Olympic loss to the U.S. in 2012. However, it should be noted Sinclair (a) impugned the referee directly for manipulating a match result and (b) was not suspended until well after the 2012 Olympics were over following an investigation.
Wambach impugned no one concretely. Her suspension, unlike Sinclair’s, would count on a big stage. The political context with the U.S., rightly or wrongly, is relevant. So, rightly or wrongly, is the commercial context. FIFA may not be in position to take a bold, controversial stand on principle. The path of least resistance would be to let the comments slide.
If the comments indicate anything it’s the pressure and frustration the U.S. team is experiencing. That’s especially true for Wambach who, probably deservedly, is taking the brunt of it. While Americans will allow one of their own wide latitude, explaining away performances by whining about the refereeing and about the turf every team is playing on is growing stale.
[Photo via USAT]