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Solo issues public apology for arrest; club talks consequences as Solo set to return

Hope Solo

Photo by Michael Janosz/ISIPhotos.com

By CAITLIN MURRAY

Hope Solo is making her way back onto the pitch and back onto good terms with the public — at least for now.

Solo issued a public apology to her fans and colleagues Thursday ahead of her expected return to her professional club and expressed optimism the fourth-degree domestic violence assault charges against her will be dropped.

“I understand that, as a public figure, I am held to a higher standard of conduct,” Solo wrote on Facebook. “I take seriously my responsibilities as a role model and sincerely apologize to everyone I have disappointed.”

Solo was arrested Saturday for allegedly assaulting her 17-year-old nephew and his mother, her half-sister, while intoxicated at a family gathering.

“I love my family dearly,” Solo’s statement continued. “We, like all families, have our challenges but my sincere hope is that we are able to resolve this situation as a family. Adversity has always made us stronger and I know this situation will be no different.”

The statement added: “Due to pending legal issues, I cannot comment further at this time. However, I am confident in the legal process and believe my name will be cleared.”

After pleading not guilty and being released without bail Monday, Solo will be available to rejoin Seattle Reign FC, the club announced Thursday. Under a judge’s orders, she is not allowed to contact the alleged victims or drink alcohol. A pretrial hearing is set for Aug. 11.

The undefeated Reign FC hinted though Solo is returning to training, a guilty verdict could affect her standing with the club.

“Hope will attend and participate in all training sessions this week and will be available for selection in Saturday’s 6 pm home match against Sky Blue FC,” the club said Thursday in a statement on their Facebook page. “It is our sincerest wish that the outcome of the legal process clears Hope of any wrongdoing. Should that not be the case, we will take the necessary and appropriate action at that time, in a manner consistent with the values and beliefs of our organization.”

Reign FC’s statement comes one day after U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati told reporters the federation would be contacting Solo “in the next 24 hours” to discuss the arrest and declined further comment. Solo is the starting goalkeeper for the U.S Women’s National Team.

Reign FC said the club conducted their own investigation and spoke with Solo several times about the incident.

“This investigation, which has included multiple conversations with Hope, made it clear that there are differing perspectives on the events that led up to Hope’s arrest,” the statement said. “As such, we feel it is fair and prudent to await the outcome of the legal process before making a final judgment about the incident.”

“That being said, it should be understood that we hold all of our players, coaches, and employees to the highest ethical and moral standard. In the event any Seattle Reign FC player is convicted of a serious crime the consequences will be significant and swift.”

Reign FC managed to keep their season-long 13-game unbeaten streak alive without Solo last Sunday, beating the Western New York Flash on the road, 2-1. Reign FC host New Jersey’s Sky Blue FC at 9 pm ET Saturday.

Comments

  1. Solo is a tiger on the field. I believe, Hope Solo will lead her magnificent team to the USWNT’s 3rd World Cup Gold Medal in 2015. As a four-time All American; two time Olympic Gold Medalist, she will far exceed the record for the most shut-outs in history of the sport. Hope Solo is THE premier keeper; the best the world has ever known. That dedication; that passion; that power does not fall from the mundane, every-day, average tree. No, that kind of unmatched, #1, elite performance, wile, and world-class renown is it’s own beast, a one-of-kind breed; she is an AMERICAN! One of US! #onenationoneteam #1Hope #ourhope #USA

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  2. Wow, I had forgotten about her husband, Jerramy Stevens’ criminal doings. (He mostly managed to stay out of jail, but it baffles me how.) Rape, assualt, multiple DUIs and just a whole bunch of worse than unsavory things. That is who Hope married, it raises a whole host of questions best left to those who deal with criminals or severely disturbed people and why others give them a pass.

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    • I hope that my sarcasmometer is broken and that you’re just joking. Most of us have makes mistakes.

      Domestic violence is serious–I’ve been one of the biggest Hope critics around–people do things that they wish that they hadn’t and if she is found guilty or pleads no contest then she still deserves an opportunity to wear the jersey again after she gets herself together.

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      • I agree. I think it is pretty harsh to cripple a person in their professional world But i
        t is not a place to give her a hall pass. She is wandering into a place where it is hard say this isnt pattern behavior

        She is a big piece of our brand and she has chosen in large part to make herself a public figure– she is accountable for to US Soccer and US Soccer clearly wants to help. But she should expect a short leash from them if she remains interested in being involved with the team. :People are rightly sensitive to domestic violence and her best move is to be pro-active about really cleaning this business out of her. She will be offered the best resources available– why not accept them? It is not easy to change patterns but everybody respecs growth, I hope she gets to a better place with this so they don’t have to be such a big stain on her otherwise excellent CV.

  3. So the “investigation” was interviewing Solo multiple times? That’s not much of an investigation, to say the least. No indication the team reviewed the information gathered by the police (although it had a PR person at the hearing). And the fact that Solo’s version of the events didn’t match that of her family and other witnesses is evidence of nothing.

    Also no punishment for Solo for missing a team flight (and therefore a match). I find that shocking.

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    • Read it again. It says it included interviews with Hope Solo. It did not say it consisted soley of interviews with Hope Solo. They likely inquired about the Police information, but outside of the arrest report (which they would have certainly procured as it takes a few moments at costs about 10 bucks), what would you have them do? Probably the police would tell them it’s none of their business. And they’d be right,.

      You might also have a look at the operating budgets of these teams. Tiny. Miniscule. This is not the NFL, where they put a team of 80 people and lawyers on every suspected DUI some WR’s cousin gets pulled over for

      Innocent until proven guilty is still a meaningful concept here — and one that can get Reign in serious trouble if they are wrong and mete out punishments based on incorrect assessments. Organizations with billion dollar budgets sometimes do things differently (1) because they can afford to conduct them – and even be wrong because (2) they have a lot to lose by not getting in front of the situations. Reign FC have no reason to blow their tiny budget on this. Let the justice system do the work on their own dime, and then decide if you need to mete out internal punishment based on their findings

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  4. Everyone has their rock-bottom that they may have to drop to in order to rebound. I hope this is hers and she rebounds personally and professionally to where she could be. Some of this sounds like she was abused as a child … have there been any confirmations of such?

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    • I recall reading about her past. Rough childhood. I think (think) her dad had legal issues…parents divorced…grew up on the other side of the tracks so to speak. That was some of the tude she brought to the USWNT…and she wasn’t into the suburban-slumber-party atmosphere that dominated the team. She was there to win; she didn’t join a sorority. I

      I don’t think you’ll find her donning tutus and dancing in vines with Alex Morgan.

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      • Yes, but whatever led her to marry Jerramy Stevens points to some serious personal issues and brings into question any good sense she might have..

  5. She should divorce her current spouse and hook up with Luis Suarez. Imagine the drunken, angry, violent spawn of that relationship.

    Reply

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