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Wambach pleads not guilty in drunk driving case

Los ANgeles - A lawyer for former US women's football star Abby Wambach entered a not guilty plea on Tuesday in the player's drunk driving case.

Wambach, 35, was arrested in Portland, Oregon in the early hours of Sunday and booked after being stopped as she drove home from dinner at a friend's house.

At an arraignment hearing in Portland on Tuesday, Wambach's attorney Ben Elder entered a not guilty plea on her behalf.

Wambach's next court date is on April 26. She was not required to attend Tuesday's hearing.

In a statement posted on her Facebook page on Sunday, Wambach apologised for what she described as a "horrible mistake."

"Those that know me, know that I have always demanded excellence from myself. I have let myself and others down," Wambach said.

"I take full responsibility for my actions. This is all on me. I promise that I will do whatever it takes to ensure that my horrible mistake is never repeated."

The case could have financial implications for Wambach. 

Mini USA revealed it had pulled advertisements featuring Wambach from a current campaign.

"This behavior is against the values we promote as an organisation and the safety of everyone on the road is a priority here at MINI," the company said in a statement.

"Because of this, we are re-evaluating her association with the brand and are pulling content that individually features Abby from our marketing."

Wambach is a veteran of four Women's World Cups, capping her career by playing a key role in last year's victorious campaign in Canada.

She also played in two Olympic Games, winning gold medals in Athens in 2004 and London in 2012, but missing Beijing in 2008 due to injury.

Wambach scored 184 goals in 252 appearances for the United States in international competition - the leading career scorer for any male or female American player.

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