The 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup has officially entered the knockout stage starting Friday, June 26, but not without some controversy surrounding one of it's key players.
It wouldn't be an international sporting event without continuous controversy, right? Well the U.S Women's National Team made sure there was some. Without fully intending to, Abby Wambach has created a little bit of a stir-up for herself, and possibly the women's national team as a whole, before the tournament even started, and now also during the tournament itself. So here's my question: when did politics and slamming people/teams become more important than going out on the field and playing?
In early October 2014, Wambach, along with other members of Team U.S.A. filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against FIFA, due to the decision that for the first time in World Cup history the women would play on artificial grass, also known as artificial turf. As of January 2015 the charges were dropped as the team approached the beginning of the World Cup and began to focus more on their upcoming opponents in the "group of death."
ESPN's Jeff Carlisle quoted Wambach as saying, "I think I score if we're on grass." Wambach continued to explain that the ball hits the dry turf and bounces higher making it easier on the goalkeeper and that she feels as if she can't fully lay out and put her body on the line on the turf like she would on grass.
As a soccer player who grew up in the desert and grew up playing on artificial turf I can't disagree with Wambach. However I do find it hard to believe the amount of excuses and complaints coming not just from the U.S team but other teams as well. I've grown up playing on turf that was over 120 degrees Fahrenheit and never complained. Those were our playing conditions and we adjusted. Yes, turf is hard on the body especially when you're sliding on it but that's when your knowledge of the game has to come in to better adjust.
But the controversy doesn't stop there for the women's national team. After a tough game on Friday, June 19 against Columbia, some debatable yellow cards were given out to players Holiday and Rapinoe. Due to the two players' having previous yellow cards from previous games, the second yellow card resulted in their having to sit out this game, and rather than dealing with what was already given, some players, including Wambach, decided to speak out against the officials.
"I don't know if they were yellows. It seemed like she was purposefully giving those yellows to maybe players that she knew were sitting on yellows," Wambach said in an interview with ESPN's Graham Hays. However, on Tuesday, June 24, Wambach issued an apology to both FIFA and the official.
From the lawsuit, to the comments made about the officials team, Team U.S.A. has created quite the stir-up in Canada, and sparked multiple comments from other players and other coaches, including the former U.S.A. National Team coach Pia Sundhage. Sundhage was quoted as making comments about different players from Team U.S.A.
But here's why I wrote this article. I understand that whether we like it or not, politics will always be involved in sports, especially professional sports. But when did the game become completely about politics? What happened to just going out on the field and playing your heart out for your teammates and your country? Why do we have to bicker about calls that can't be taken back and complain about playing conditions that won't be changed? You can't change or take back what has already been done so you might as well take it and move on. You may disagree with a call or a card given but you can't change it, so you might as well dig deep and find the heart you have for the game, and let that show rather than the frustration of a call.
Despite the issues the team has faced, so far the U.S.A. National Team has done a good job adjusting to the artificial turf playing conditions, the negative comments made, and its starters' having to sit out due to yellow cards that have carried over. In fact it rather seems that they are allowing that to fuel their fire and play even harder. As of Friday, June 26, the Women's National Team will continue to the semi-finals where they will face Germany after beating China 1-0. Team U.S.A. will then take on Germany in the semi finals at 6 p.m. (CNT) on Tuesday, June 30. Cheer them on as they attempt to make history and take home the title of world champions.
Oh, and I almost forgot:
I BELIEVE, I BELIEVE THAT, I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN, I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN!!!
