Hope Solo's World Cup status in doubt



Hope Amelia Solo (born in July 30, 1981) is an American soccer goalkeeper and a two-time Olympic gold medalist. She has been goalkeeping for the United States ladies’ national soccer group since 2000. In the wake of playing at the university level for the University of Washington, she played professionally for the Philadelphia Charge in the Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA).

Over the past two years, Solo has had numerous run-ins with the law, nearly all of which have involved alcohol. When asked if part of Solo's program included an alcohol rehab facility, or if the team believed she had an alcohol problem, Gulati said, "Neither one of us denied or confirmed that. Hope has been given time to deal with some issues ... and there are a number of things she is being asked to do."

Last week, the 33-year-old keeper was suspended by U.S. Soccer for 30 days after her husband, Jerramy Stevens, was pulled over for DUI while driving the team van. Solo was a passenger in the vehicle.
The incident came just one week after a Seattle judge dismissed domestic violence charges against Solo.
When asked on a conference call if U.S. Soccer could envision a scenario in which Solo -- a two-time Olympic gold medalist and the team's starting keeper -- would be left off the squad, Gulati said, "Sure."
 
Solo is viewed as one of the top goalkeepers on the planet and right now imparts the U.s. record for most profession shutouts. She was the beginning goalkeeper for most of the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup and helped lead the U.s. national group to the elimination rounds having surrendered just two objectives in four diversions, including three continuous shutouts. After a questionable move made by head mentor Greg Ryan to seat Solo for veteran goalkeeper Brianna Scurry for the elimination round, in which the United States was vanquished 4–0 by Brazil, Solo stood out as truly newsworthy with post-diversion comments that brought about numerous partners disregarding her. She later bounced back to help the United States win gold awards at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics.