When Sports Fans Change the Game
T he most excruciating moment of my life as a sports fan was in the summer of 2012. I was watching a women’s soccer match between Canada and the United States in the semifinals at the London Olympics. Canadian captain Christine Sinclair had scored a hat trick, and after her third goal, despite the lack of coverage that women’s sports receive on television, it felt as if the entire country was brimming with support and pride. It was a riveting gladiator-style rivalry full of physical clashes and thrilling set pieces—until the match took a terrible turn.
Norwegian official Christina Pederson called a foul on Canadian goalkeeper Erin McLeod for holding the ball longer than six seconds—tantamount to wasting time. I was stunned. I had been playing and watching soccer for almost thirty years and had never seen that call before. I felt my face flush with anger and my shoulders tense. My children, sitting around me in our living room, were witnessing a sporting injustice a world away. At that point, Canada was winning 3–2. From the awarded free kick for the US team, Pederson then called a handball penalty against Canada. US star forward Abby Wambach tied the game.
When the US won, almost inevitably, after scoring in extra time, I felt my chest tighten so much that it hurt. When your heart breaks from frustration and anger, it is a different pain. There was no question that I was proud of the team, but the game was marred by such a bizarre call from an official whom I will hold a grudge against forever. Fans and columnists alike expressed shock at the call, and even Pia Sundhage, the coach of the US team, later said she had never seen that call actually made in a match—let alone in such an important one. Canada went on to win a bronze medal, but the events of that match convinced me to never visit Norway, irrespective of how beautiful the fjords are.
