Hope Solo started her second consecutive 2015 Women’s World Cup game Friday night, as the United States drew Sweden 0-0 in Winnipeg. Shortly after the match concluded U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati issued a lengthy response to a critical letter from U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) earlier in the week. Blumenthal wrote in wake of ESPN’s Outside the Lines report last weekend, which provided new details in Solo’s domestic violence arrest in 2014. He asked for U.S. Soccer to thoroughly investigate and “reconsider” Solo’s status.
Gulati’s entire response can be read on Philly.com, or in PDF form via USA Today.
Here’s a couple of the pertinent excerpts. In the first, Gulati says U.S. Soccer did try to obtain police reports from the June 2014 arrest:
“The suggestion by certain media outlets that the Federation failed to investigate the initial allegations is inaccurate. Following the June 2014 incident, the Federation sought to gain access to the police report, witness statements and other associated materials. But, as a consequence of the Washington Criminal Records Privacy Act, we were advised by the Kirkland Police Department that they could not provide such materials directly but that we could request materials through a public records act request. We made such a request and received and reviewed a redacted partial-copy (26 of 52 pages) of the police report.
Gulati confirms that U.S. Soccer did speak to Solo. However it didn’t speak to her half-sister or 17-year-old nephew, the alleged victims in the case, who gave their version to OTL. The rationale for this decision may raise eyebrows:
The Federation chose not to request interviews of the complaining witnesses, Ms. Solo’s half-sister and her sister’s son. Based on the public reports of the incident and the partial police report, we understood that the complaining witnesses would likely contradict Ms. Solo’s version of events with equal vehemence. Further, based on an internal review of the partial police report the Federation received, we noted (as did the court) inconsistencies in the statements of the complaining witnesses. Thus, the Federation knew it would be faced with a “he said, she said” situation where the credibility of the witnesses would be determinative.
Blumenthal’s letter also made reference to the Ray Rice domestic violence case, which Gulati took exception to and addressed specifically.
In addition, the reference to the Ray Rice incident is inapposite. In that instance, not only was there unimpeachable video evidence of the assault, but Mr. Rice admitted to it. Here we have two completely contradictory accounts of the incident, a court determination that the accounts of Ms. Solo’s accusers were inconsistent and incomplete and the accusers’ subsequent refusal to comply with court orders to give further testimony to address the inconsistencies and unanswered questions.
Gulati also writes the Federation is now looking into the “alleged post-arrest conduct” by Solo brought to light by OTL.
The letter answers some questions about the situation, but opens up just as many — namely why U.S. Soccer wouldn’t to hear any version of what happened other than Solo’s. Suffice to say, Solo’s status and the U.S.’s decision to keep her on the team will remain a major talking point throughout the World Cup.
RELATED: During June 2014 Arrest, Hope Solo Told Officer Her Necklace Cost More than His Yearly Salary
RELATED: ESPN’s OTL Finds “No Evidence” U.S. Soccer Contacted Prosecutors, Police or Alleged Victims in Hope Solo Case
RELATED: Hope Solo Since the 2011 World Cup: A Timeline
from The Big Lead http://ift.tt/1JPJgmp
No comments:
Post a Comment