Abby Wambach has been in the news for the wrong reasons lately. On Sunday, she was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of intoxicants, and at her initial court appearance, court documents revealed that the retired USWNT player had tried cocaine and marijuana ten years ago, per the BBC. Her lawyer has entered in a plea of not guilty on her behalf.
Wambach's mugshot. Photo: @ABC | Twitter
Should we really care about this though? Yes, Abby Wambach is a role model; yes, she has an obligation to hold herself to a higher standard, but she's also human. She took responsibility for her actions on her Facebook page, without any coercion or coaching, and she has faced her mistake head on.
As far as the "revelation" that she tried cocaine and marijuana, honestly, who cares? Diego Maradona practically bathed himself in Columbian pixie dust for most of his career, and he's only the most famous example.
Last night I was arrested for DUII in Portland after dinner at a friend's house. Those that know me, know that I have...Posted by Abby Wambach on Sunday, April 3, 2016
Remember when Hull City's Jake Livermore tested positive for cocaine last year? Remember what happened? Nothing. He escaped without a ban, mostly because he was dealing with the loss of his newborn son, an event that would drive anybody into a dark place.
Livermore escaped a drugs ban after testing positive for cocaine. Photo: @UnderThePrem | Twitter
That's really the point. Celebrities, professional athletes or role models, whatever you want to call them, are human. They make the same mistakes as you and I do and they have the same insecurities and emotional frailties as anyone else.
Abby Wambach's case has nothing to do with feminism or the fight for gender equality, although it has almost inevitably been brought up. This is about treating celebrities with the same standards that we would treat anybody else.
Abby Wambach took responsibility for her actions. Mini USA pulled her car commercials and she will likely get fined, be forced to take classes, and be required to perform community service, just like everyone else. It's as simple as that.
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