June 14 – US senator Richard Blumenthal has written to US soccer president Sunil Gulati expressing discontent about Team USA’s investigation into the domestic violence charges filed against US goalkeeper, two-time Olympic gold medalist, Hope Solo.
Gulati responded that there were “inaccuracies” in media reports and that US Soccer “cannot now simply prevent and otherwise qualified athlete from participating in an international competition like the Women’s Word Cup”.
In June 2014 Solo was arrested and issued misdemeanor counts of assault. At the time of the arrest she was described as belligerent and intoxicated, directing abusive language to the arresting officers. The alleged victims were her half-sister and six-foot eight-inch, at the time, seventeen year-old nephew. Solo has maintained her innocence, instead claiming that she was the victim.
The prosecution’s case was dismissed on procedural grounds, but an appeal was scheduled to be filed by July 13 and oral arguments are scheduled for September 11. It is in this ongoing legal ruckus that Blumenthal has found dissatisfaction with Solo’s participation in the Women’s World Cup.
Blumenthal wrote: “As the World Cup begins this week and Team USA prepares for its second game on Friday, a cloud hangs over what would otherwise be cause for celebration. According to court documents uncovered by ESPN’s Outside The Lines, even as Team USA goalie Hope Solo publicly claims two domestic violence counts stemming from a June 2014 incident have been dismissed, “prosecutors are scheduled to file their argument by July 13…[and] arguments are scheduled for Sept. 11.
“The details from police reports, sworn witness depositions, and a transcript of a 911 call from that evening, paint a picture all too familiar to those of us who have worked closely with victims of domestic violence and family violence. Alcohol-fueled verbal abuse eventually led to physical violence. One of the victims, Solo’s half-sister, Teresa Obert, described the goalie’s attack first on her then-17-year-old son, before she turned her attention to the half-sister:
“‘She grabbed him by the head and she kept slamming him into the cement over and over again,’ Obert told Outside the Lines. ‘So I came from behind her, and I pulled her over and, you know, to get her off my son. And then, once she got off, she started punching me in the face over and over again.'”
In the wake of this violent incident, U.S. Soccer offered no comment publicly for three months. It finally issued a statement that was purportedly the result of a “deliberate and thoughtful approach” to consider the incident and determine Hope Solo’s status with the team, but it neglected to include an effort to contact the alleged victims. According to ESPN, “Outside the Lines found no evidence that anyone with U.S. Soccer contacted prosecutors or police involved with the case, either. Public records requests made to the Kirkland Police Department do not appear to reflect any attempt by officials with U.S. Soccer to obtain the police reports from the case. [Kirkland Police Department Public Information Officer Lt. Mike] Murray told Outside the Lines he was not aware of anyone from U.S. Soccer contacting the Kirkland police for information about the case.”
“I urge U.S. Soccer to conduct a thorough investigation into this incident – an inquiry that includes a comprehensive review of police reports and interviews of the alleged victims. In the interim, U.S. Soccer should at least articulate an explanation for Hope Solo’s position as an active member of Team USA. As boys and girls tune in to Friday’s game, watching the women on TV as role models, what is the message of starting Hope Solo at goal?”
Domestic violence and family violence are an horrific scourge that happens behind closed doors every day in this country. Regardless of whether the violence is a man striking a woman, a woman striking a man, or same-sex violence, it is unacceptable. Domestic violence is intolerable particularly for an athlete representing the United States of America on the global stage.
Soccer today faces huge challenges as the FIFA scandal unfolds. Hope Solo continuing to play goalie for Team USA, just months before she will appear in court to face domestic violence charges, raises troubling questions about the state of the game.”
In response Gulati said U.S. Soccer was able to obtain only a redacted, 26-page version of the 52-page police report on the incident. In contrast, he pointed out, the media appear to have obtained a supplemental police report and testimony sealed by the court that the federation did not have access to.
Gulati said U.S. Soccer interviewed Solo who “quite vehemently” cited self-defense in the incident which led to her arrest. He said that federation officials decided not to interview the alleged victims due to the inconsistencies in their statements to police and their belief that the accusers “would likely contradict Ms. Solo’s version of events with equal vehemence.” He described it as a “he said, she said” situation.
The federation, based on its legal advice, is waiting for the resolution of the criminal charges against Solo before taking any potential disciplinary proceedings further.
“Rest assured that the Federation considers domestic and family violence a very serious matter,” he said.
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