"[A warning] to anyone who seeks to live in the past and to return soccer to the days of corruption and bribery, cronyism and patronage: You are on the wrong side of progress." -- Loretta E. Lynch
We have no word on whether Loretta Lynch's foot ever nailed a ball into a soccer net, but after this year, her impact on the beautiful game is as legendary as Brandi Chastain's.
In May, three weeks into her new post as attorney general of the United States, Lynch announced the indictments of 14 top FIFA officials and the unsealing of a $150 million case full of alleged bribery, fraud and money laundering. Her investigation began when she was U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York from 2010 to 2015, and shows no signs of relenting.
At a news conference with her Swiss counterpart in September, Lynch announced that the case is growing and more arrests are likely, which has indeed come to pass, proving that good sportsmanship and fair play are still staples of the game.
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The IMPACT25 is espnW's annual list of the 25 athletes and influencers who have made the greatest impact for women in sports. Explore the 2015 list at espnW.com/IMPACT25.