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FIFA issues warning to Wambach about comments on officials

FILE - In hits June 16, 2015, file photo, United States' Abby Wambach, left,, celebrates her goal against Nigeria during the first half at the FIFA Women's World Cup soccer tournament in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Despite the lack of firepower, the U.S. has advanced to the quarterfinals. The second-ranked Americans play China on Friday in Ottawa, in the first World Cup meeting between the two teams since the U.S. defeated the Chinese on penalty kicks for the title in 1999. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
FILE - In hits June 16, 2015, file photo, United States' Abby Wambach, left,, celebrates her goal against Nigeria during the first half at the FIFA Women's World Cup soccer tournament in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Despite the lack of firepower, the U.S. has advanced to the quarterfinals. The second-ranked Americans play China on Friday in Ottawa, in the first World Cup meeting between the two teams since the U.S. defeated the Chinese on penalty kicks for the title in 1999. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP, File) FILE - In hits June 16, 2015, file photo, United States' Abby Wambach, left,, celebrates her goal against Nigeria during the first half at the FIFA Women's World Cup soccer tournament in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Despite the lack of firepower, the U.S. has advanced to the quarterfinals. The second-ranked Americans play China on Friday in Ottawa, in the first World Cup meeting between the two teams since the U.S. defeated the Chinese on penalty kicks for the title in 1999. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP, File)

By Associated Press 1 min read

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) – FIFA has issued a warning to U.S. forward Abby Wambach for comments she made about the officiating in a match against Colombia at the Women’s World Cup.

During the match Monday in the knockout round, U.S. midfielders Megan Rapinoe and Lauren Holiday were issued yellow cards. Because both had yellows from previous matches at the tournament, both will have to sit out Friday night’s quarterfinal match against China.

Wambach was asked whether the yellow cards were deserved. She said: “I don’t know if they were yellows. It seemed like she (the referee) was purposefully giving those yellows to maybe players that she knew were sitting on yellows. I don’t know if that was just a psychological thing, who knows. Who knows?”

She apologized for the comments the next day. FIFA said in a statement that the apology factored into the decision.