Amber Wambach broke her silence on teammate Hope Solo’s domestic violence accusations and hopes she will be exonerated of all charges. She claims that Hope is a role model on the field and should be there for the fans to cheer on. She also compared Hope’s domestic violence charges to those of Ray Rice, stating that the two cases are not the same.
Hope Solo was charged with domestic violence against her nephew and sister in June and is awaiting trial on November 4 to see if she will be found guilty. Focus on domestic violence has reached a climax in the sporting world as Ray Rice was caught on video punching his fiancee, now wife, in an elevator. Tighter regulations on domestic violence in the NFL could bleed over into the soccer arena, using Hope Solo as an example.However, Amber Wambach feels that the two cases should not be compared, other than each has an element of domestic violence intertwined within.
“I think this is a different situation, whether people want to believe that or not. It’s hard for us because we want to back her but then there’s this whole other dimension to it. I think that the truth will come out in her case. Nobody was there, so everybody can construe: ‘Oh, well then, whatever happened with that Ray Rice situation is obviously what’s gone on in this Hope case,’ and that’s just not the case. I think that the truth will come out and people will understand.”
Although Wambach has voiced her defense of Solo, other teammates have other opinions. Jillian Loyden, a former teammate, feels that Hope Solo should not be allowed to play soccer until final sentencing is handed over and all legal issues have been settled.
Despite feeling that Hope Solo is a role model to all of her fans, Wambach does not feel that the domestic violence issue should bar her form playing. Instead, she feels that her team, and Hope Solo, are held to a higher standard. Because they are held in higher regard, they are forced to sacrifice a lot in return.
“[W]e sacrifice a lot, and so within that sacrifice comes certain norms and laws which you have to live within, whether it be drug testing or living up to a higher standard.”
She continued.
“[W]hen people are built so far up on a mountain, they have only one way to fall. I don’t want there to be too much collateral damage that goes on with Hope in this situation because she’s obviously my teammate and she’s a great player.”
How do you feel about Hope Solo ‘s case? Should her and Ray Rice be held to the same expectations and penalties, or should the two sports decide individually?
[Photo Courtesy: The Guardian ]
