USWNT Legend Abby Wambach to Leave Concussion Drug Company Backed by Brett Favre

Abby Wambach, the all-time leading scorer for the United States women's national soccer team, announced she's stepping down from the Odyssey Health sports advisory board and removing her investment in the company.

Wambach told ESPN's Mark Fainaru-Wada on Thursday she made the decision after finding out Odyssey Health was linked to the Mississippi welfare fraud case through former NFL quarterback Brett Favre, the company's top investor.

"Minutes after learning this new information, I initiated the process to immediately and fully divest myself from any involvement—financial and otherwise—with Prevacus/Odyssey Health Inc., a process that I insisted be complete by end of day today," Wambach said.

A lawsuit filed by the state of Mississippi alleged $2.1 million in funds earmarked for welfare recipients was instead invested in Odyssey Health, then known as Prevacus, after meetings between Favre and members of the state's Department of Human Services in 2018, per Fainaru-Wada.

Favre began investing in Prevacus in 2014 and by 2018 became its largest shareholder, according to the ESPN report.

Wambach said she invested in the company after learning about its efforts to develop a nasal spray that could help treat concussions.

"Since I genuinely believed this company was being transparent about a product that could spare the next generation of athletes from the severe impact of concussion injuries that I endured as a professional athlete, I am profoundly angry, disappointed, and saddened by what I learned today," Wambach told Fainaru-Wada.

Other people listed on Odyssey Health's sports advisory board include former NFL quarterbacks Kurt Warner and Mark Rypien, Chicago Cubs manager David Ross and former NFL head coach Steve Mariucci.

On Wednesday, Odyssey Health announced the "successful completion of Phase I clinical trial" for its concussion drug, which it said was "safe and well-tolerated" by test subjects.

John Davis, the former former director of Mississippi's welfare agency, pleaded guilty last week to one count of conspiracy and one count of theft from programs receiving federal funds after an investigation unearthed a "conspiracy to misspend tens of millions of dollars."

Favre hasn't been charged with any crimes, but he's accused of taking part in a scheme to funnel money to the University of Southern Mississippi, his alma mater and the college where his daughter Breleigh played volleyball, to build a new volleyball facility.

Wambach, who retired from soccer in 2015, wasn't named in any of the fraud proceedings and said she was unaware of Odyssey Health's links to the case until Thursday.