Abby Wambach Injured, Will Miss Olympics (VIDEO)

Abby Wamback, the top scorer on the U.S. Women's Olympic soccer team, fractured her left leg during a game against Brazil. The injury will prevent her from playing in the Olympics, dealing a blow to the U.S. team's chances at bringing home a gold medal.

[WATCH]

Comments

[moriarty10]

Hmm...football's (socker's) worse injuries...

Busst of Coventry City v Manchester United (eNGLISH pREMIER lEAGUE)....his bone popped out and United's tough Danish goalkeeper Peter Schmichael was so upset he threw up! (though the folowing video doesn't show it)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXu4ucs5WJk

Sadly Busst never played again...and this was accidential.

[PanFx]

I have a friend who is a quadriplegic resulting from a similar type of "charge" towards another player. He was known as a very aggressive player, and every other player feared him. One day he counted on his body too much. As he was charging down the field towards the end zone, with football in hand, full speed, when he head rammed the first player he encountered. From that point on all he remembers is being out of breath and not being able to move. That was almost 30 years ago, and to this day he lives life in a wheelchair.

I'd say this woman got off easy with just a fracture.

[DrToketee]

Your comment, PanFx, is irrelevant. More knowledge of the game is required here. I am a former nationally-licensed competitive soccer coach who has re-run the video of this "accident" a dozen times, and I am completely disgusted with what I saw.

The bottomline: the Brazilian defender committed a bone-head rec-league reckless and feeble attempt to tackle the ball from the onrushing and sprinting Wambach. Whether it was deliberate or not cannot be ascertained; world-class players can be extremely artful in causing collisions without drawing the ire of the referee. The defender was not even trying for a ball-tackle at the moment of impact; she simply put a leg-block on Wambach's body.

The defender should have - at minimum - received a yellow card for her outrageously reckless play (intentionality of recklessness is not considered) for causing a head-on collision for a running, easily avoidable by the defender. The defender had moved directly into Wambach's path when Wambach committed her shot.

This was a flat-out red card. The referee deserses heavy criticism as well. Wambach had already arrived at the ball before the defender, becoming the ball carrier as she attempted to shoot. The carrier has the right-of-way and cannot be impeded by anything other than by a legally-executed shoulder charge, or to have the ball obstructed by a legally-executed ball-tackle, or to have the shot blocked. The defender did none of these.

[Jonahson]

There are two easy ways where you can break a leg in soccer. A two legged sliding tackle (which have bee ruled as a foul) and putting your studs forward while another is taking a swipe at the ball. From what I see it is the latter that caused the damage but I am sure it was unintentional.
She will certainly be out of the Olympics.

[Nobrun]

Reckless move on Wambach's part. With both players running for the ball that collision was inevitable. As a professional, she should have recognized it. She did not have to kick the ball.

[Destin]

Gotta be the most hearthwrenching thing for an athlete to go through. To suffer an injury that keeps them out of a competition featuring the best of the best in their sport.

Hope she makes a full and speedy recovery, and GO USA!

[NickfromCali]

1. It's Wambach!
2. The graphicness of the injury is nowhere near Theismann class. I think the US will win a medal. Of course it would help if Hamm, etc. came back....

[sleek]

That's what you get for playing like it counts in an EXHIBITION game!

You would think they would use their BRAINS and take it easy until they actually get to the Olympics. You know, play hard in games that actually count for something.

FOUR YEARS down the drain. Heckuva job, ladies!

[Destin]

While I can agree with you, that sometimes athletes probably shouldn't risk injury in a "friendly" match..... the flipside of the coin is that if they do play anyways and don't play 100%, then that brings the sport into disrepute via "sandbagging", "letting up" or "coasting", whatever you wanna call it when people intentionally don't play as good as they could. Not to mention the fan aspect, they'd feel robbed of seeing a great performance. ;)

I'd rather they just sit the top players, than to tell them to play at less than 100%. But then, another flipside, if you don't play enough and practice enough, you lose your edge and sharpness. ;) Many have been injured in practice.

[JICC]

I am afraid you are right... she was coming in like a freight train. Not very smart.

[ElIngeniero]

I'd bench anyone who gave less than 100%. So would any self respecting coach, because playing like it matters is the habit you want your players to have.

It's not that far a jump from saying, "It doesn't matter, it's only an exhibition game" to "it doesn't matter, we're 3 points down". Once you get in the habit of making excuses for lackluster performance, you get good at making axcuses, and that's just something a coach hates for his or her players to be good at.

[akryan]

It's a tough thing. I agree with you though. You have to play hard in a run up to the olympics. I would have said that the coach should have pulled her out earlier but it was still the first half. It didn't look like it was anyone's fault. Just one of those things that happen in sports, like a guy tearing an ACL in a preseason game.

[Pdubya]

come on yankee??!!! ever played soccer before?

this was a deliberate act by the opponent.

[kkuate]

Baloney...ignorant comment on your part.

The Carioca player was blocking the ball, and Abby kicked the opponent player's legs.
This was just a sports injury, but your patriotism is looking for WMD in the wrong place.

[ShakeYourComplacency]

How do you figure that? Abby was taking the ball full speed down the field, with the brazilians on either side of her. She had every right to keep proceeding and to kick the ball she was in possession of. The opposing player charged her position and made a play for the ball. It was an accident, but how on earth you figure it was Abby's fault of all people? There are rules in American football regarding these sorts of moves for good reason (like a pick). They can result in injury.

Abby is a tough player, an aggressive scorer and of course threat to other teams. Last time I saw her play they were targeting her, for good reason. I imagine she continues to get that kind of attention, with opposing players throwing a wrench in her moves to thwart the US team.

[flyrod]

I'm an avid soccer fan and have played for many years. Nothing in that video suggests it was deliberate. The Brazilian was going for the ball and defending her goal. That's just the way it goes. Although, I do feel bad for her; that sucks.

[yankee452]

I'm Nigerian....soccer is the only real sport we're fanatical about.

Looked to me they both went for a 50-50 ball, and simply collided. Unfortunately she came off worse....nobody's fault in my opinion.

I just don't get why the poor girl has to deal with images of her painful injury being distributed across the world. Personally,I wouldn't be happy about it.

buts just me...

[mathme]

Yeah, athletes should play their games in private and pay each other in hugs. :)

[mabinog]

Ow! That just sucks, hopefully she can at least attend and be with her teamates.

[ramper]

Abby is one of the most talented, toughest, and most respected players in the world. This leaves a huge hole in the U. S. team. She always gave her all and worked harder than any athlete. She must be heartbroken.

[yankee452]

Come on HuffPO!!

Is this video really necessary?

Its bad enough she has to deal with the pain of a serious injury and the pain of missing out on the Olympics....

Employ a semblance of decency (if not sypmathy) .

Please.