ESPN’s Keith Olbermann blasted Hope Solo, U.S. Soccer officials and called for Sunil Gulati’s firing in the wake of an Outside The Line Report detailed the goalkeepers alleged assault on her half-sister and nephew, which has been blatantly ignored by officials.
Domestic violence is at epidemic levels, the victims are usually women, the coach of the women’s national soccer team of this country is not only willfully ignoring unresolved domestic violence charges against her star goalie, but she also seems proud of ignoring them.
The president of the U.S. Soccer Federation, who insisted he would carefully consider any new information about the Solo case, hasn’t even interviewed Solo’s half-sister, nor responded to her public comments. He has not yet risen even to the initial minimum standard of responsibility Roger Goodell got to on his own.
And unlike the NFL cases, these are not merely professional athletes in professional sports that we are talking about. Hope Solo, Jill Ellis, and president Sunil Gulati are representing this country – you and me – and clearly none of them is qualified to do so. Certainly not now.
Solo deserves immediate suspension with all rights of appeal. Ms. Ellis and Mr. Gulati, however, who have shown this condescending attitude of a sports first, reality second, protect the bubble of all times, and have been the worst possible role models for and the worst possible representatives of this country should be immediately dismissed.
