Sunil Gulati says he appreciated Hope Solo's aplogy for her recent arrest.
U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati commented for the first time on women’s national team goalkeeper Hope Solo’s arrest, telling Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl that Solo’s apology via Facebook was “appropriate and appreciated.”
Solo was arrested on June 21 on investigation of two counts of domestic-violence assault. She pleaded not guilty and is due back in court on August 11.
“I spoke with Hope last week,” Gulati told Wahl. “I think her comments, which she put on her Facebook page and other places, reflect how she feels about the whole situation. I think her apology was appropriate and appreciated certainly by us. I think the rest (we’ll) have to wait and see what happens with the legal process. Hope certainly understands that it’s not a right to play for the national team, it’s a privilege, and certain responsibilities come with that. And we would much prefer to have her in the news for great goalkeeping performances than anything else. We had a good conversation.”
On Wednesday, Solo played her first match since the arrest, helping Seattle Reign FC past the Western New York Flash, 2-1, to keep the club unbeaten through the first 15 matches of the season.
