U.S. Women’s Soccer Team Talk FIFA Scandal & 2015 World Cup

By Published on May 28, 2015

Just 10 days before the start of the Women’s World Cup in Canada, the U.S. Women’s team is trying to stay focused as the world’s eyes are fixed on the FIFA corruption arrests.

The U.S. government launched a corruption attack on soccer’s global governing body Wednesday, pulling FIFA executives out of a luxury Zurich hotel to face racketeering charges and raiding regional offices in Miami.

Swiss officials also invaded FIFA headquarters, seizing records and computers to investigate whether the decisions to award World Cups to Russia and Qatar were rigged.

Scandals and rumors of deeper corruption have dogged FIFA throughout the 17-year reign of its president, Sepp Blatter, but he was not named in either investigation.

“This sport is about 11 players on a field and nothing is going to distract any of the teams, or any of the players from being in that moment, in that environment up there in Canada and having the opportunity to represent their country – it’s bigger than an organization – this is passion, this life, this our sport,” said U.S. coach Jillian Ellis.

Abby Wambach, one of the biggest names on the U.S. Women’s National Team, said the U.S. is focused solely on the World Cup.

“I think it’s important to note that whatever happens in Switzerland, or in Brazil, or in Japan with their federations, or even in our own federation in FIFA, we have no idea what goes on,” said Wambach. “I want to talk about Megan Rapinoe and Hope Solo and things that they are doing on the pitch because that’s why we are all sitting here, it’s not because of what they are doing in Switzerland or what they are doing behind back channels.”

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