Hope Solo is now a candidate for U.S. Soccer President (Photo Copyright Erica McCaulley for The Equalizer)
Hope Solo announced herself as a candidate for U.S. Soccer president in a Facebook post Thursday evening. The former United States goalkeeper explained her reason for running and laid out her ideas. The election is in February and current president Sunil Gulati recently announced he would not run for another term.
Solo’s post discussed at length her history as a soccer player, one that came close to stalling out on multiple occasions due to lack of funding necessary to continue her progression. “I have personally witnessed young players heartbroken over the financial reality that they could no longer pursue their dream,” she writes.
Solo then lays out four principles for her campaign. They are: “Know How to Win”: Creating a Winning Culture at USSF, Equality and Women’s Issues, Youth and Diversity at all levels, and USSF Organizational, Operational and Financial Governance Transparency. She became the second female candidate, both declared this week. Kathy Carter, former president of Soccer United Marketing (SUM) announced on Tuesday.
At this point, Solo’s candidacy will be considered a longshot, but there is time for change ahead of what is shaping up to be an unprecedented and combative race to see who will be the next head of U.S. Soccer. According reports from Grant Wahl and Jeff Carlisle, Solo has the three necessary nominations from voting entities which are needed by Dec. 12 to make a candidate official.
Read Solo’s full Facebook post here.
