How Should U.S. Soccer Handle the Hope Solo Domestic Abuse Situation?
U.S. women's national team goalkeeper Hope Solo faces domestic abuse charges stemming from a June 21 incident, but U.S. Soccer is allowing her to play in the run up to the 2015 World Cup. In light of the Ray Rice abuse video and the furor it created, is U.S.S.F. chief Sunil Gulati doing the right thing? Graph your position and share your take below.
Posted
September 23, 2014 2:18 PM
September 23, 2014 2:18 PM
Allow Her to Play, Period
Suspend Her Indefinitely
Make Her Permanent Captain
Take the Armband Away For Good
Captain for life like John Harkes is what should happen. Also why aren't US women games on TV? It is 2014 and we still must deal with sexist media companies who refuse to air USWNT games? How else am I going to watch my girls beat Mexico 5-0 for the 3rd time in one week? The only solution is have them play the men. I bet Abby could put a few past Howard.
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Amy
She hasn't admitted guilt, there is no evidence she is definitely guilty in the public sphere, and a court has not decided she is guilty. If and when one of those things becomes true she should be suspended. I feel the same about the NFL guys as well.
Her suspension should be lighter as well considering her domestic abuse case is a misdemeanor and Ray Rice's and Peterson's are felonies.
Either way she should have the armband removed because she is not a good role model for anyone and shouldn't have had the armband in the first place.
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wandmdave
'she cray'. but hey she's not the first maradona was nuts too. what she needs is a good therapist not a suspension...shes not biting or punching people on the pitch.....also the ray rice case is not the same, obviously men are born with certain privileges in this society (whether or not they are aware of them or care to acknowledge it). By simply being a man, you have easier access to some opportunities - therefore it is far more politically incorrect when a man hits a woman. that's not excusing hope's behavior, it's just saying that the NFL - being a league that's macho to the point of homoeroticism both on and off the pitch, and very much in the limelight - has more of an obligation to take a stand on these matters. there's no excuse for this sort of thing, but at the same time, unless your league is developing a culture of this kinda shit, i dont think the league should get mixed up in these things.
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rob
Women cannot be aggressors in domestic violence cases. I suspect the patriarchal misogynist male members of her family caused her to lash out in anger. Also this is not comparable to Ray Rice because I'm a radical feminist who reads Salon and HuffPo. No one like the women's team anymore and Japan, France, Germany will beat them next World Cup because they still play 1990s kick and run. Death to all men.
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Kathy
This is still Murica, sort of: innocent until proven guilty. These are allegations, she says she's innocent, and she'll have her day(s) in court to prove it or not. No one should be punished for unproven allegations, especially when there's no evidence one way or another, only "he said, she said".
If she's guilty, suspend her from the team until she gets help/serves her sentence. If she's innocent, great, she can continue on. Though it may still be wise for her to seek out therapy if, while she's legally innocent, she shown - as some people allege - a pattern of uncontrolled aggression and alcoholic behavior.
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johnantimo
Wait until the case is settled. She isn't usually the captain, so there's no need to worry about that.
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BostonRed
Just my opinion
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Noses Malone
She shouldn't have the armband, but there is no reason to suspend her until Justice has its say.
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Conare
i think that domestic abuse is domestic abuse, but I feel as of right now she should still be playing, just not as captain. She is still a positive role model in other aspects of her life, and she has not been proven guilty.
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Alex
No captaincy, maybe suspend for a bit
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Mo money mo problems
Dismiss her from the team now!
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Walter
Simply not the same as the football players cases. At the same time, it is obvious to all who follow her (I've been a big fan since her UW days) that she needs to take seriously her drinking and behavior problems. She needs to get help, period.
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Sue Moon
Like deciding whether to order fries or just eating BBQ flavored chips for lunch instead, this will be difficult for US soccer. I remember having lunch with Gulati one day, we talked about our favorite flavor of ice cream.
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Ives
Dismiss her from the team
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Walter
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Not sure on if they should suspend her or allow her to play, but it's very clear she shouldn't have the armband either way. Not sure why she ever had it in the first place to be honest...
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Matt L.
She should not be playing now. Would be quite content to see her never playing for the national team again. The phrase "last straw" comes to mind. It's not worth all the nonsense anymore, we have other keepers. And OBVIOUSLY she should never, ever, under any circumstance, not if she was the last woman on Earth be captain.
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Brian
I think that there should be some punishment issued. As a person who represents her country and the sport domestically, the federation should hold her accountable for her behavior.
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Pete Pereira
Definitely should not be captain, ever. And she should not be playing until after her trial
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Evan
Domestic violence is domestic violence, doesn't matter which sport or who it is. If you want to take a stand, then prove it. No player is indespensible.
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Tim
It is about time the ability to play professional sports and for the national sides are a privilege and not a right. If you're going to wear the armband you better be a great representation of the crest too.
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HammerSOB
She's a bad example, don't need her, we have plenty of talent.
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TG
Why let her captain if she is suspended?
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Wags
