U.S. Soccer Responds to Critical Letter From Senator, Confirms It Didn't Speak to Alleged Victims in Hope Solo Case

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:

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:

Blumenthal’s letter also made reference to the Ray Rice domestic violence case, which Gulati took exception to and addressed specifically.

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.