The FIFA Women’s World Cup has long been a testament to the success of professional women’s soccer, especially considering the tumultuous tenure of the sport in the United States.
Despite the ups and downs of American professional leagues, millions of people tune in every four years to watch the women’s national teams compete, making the World Cup an extremely important event not just for women’s soccer but for women’s sports as a whole.
This year, however, the U.S. women’s national team’s experience in the World Cup has been marred by constant scrutiny surrounding Hope Solo.
As media coverage of the Women’s World Cup intensifies and women’s soccer finally gets a chance to step onto the world’s biggest stage, the domestic abuse allegations stemming are stealing the spotlight.
Solo was implicated in an alleged domestic abuse incident in June 2014 involving her half-sister and 17-year-old nephew. While Solo portrayed herself as a victim during the ensuing media maelstrom, police records and court appearances have since suggested otherwise. The case was dismissed in January 2015, before prosecutors appealed in February.
The media has been consistently irresponsible in its reporting of this case. Initially, Solo was characterized the way she wanted to be – a trusting victim susceptible to familial strife, caught up in a toxic moment.
At a time when few people were tuned in to women’s soccer – the National Women’s Soccer League attracts an average of 30,000 viewers compared to the 13.5 million viewers in the U.S. who tuned into the 2011 Women’s World Cup final – the media got away with portraying Solo as a gifted athlete who made one mistake.
Now, however, the tune has changed, largely due to the release of an unflattering police report earlier this month. As all eyes are on Solo and the U.S. women’s national team as it looks to make a run for the World Cup title, some media outlets are calling for her to be barred from participating with the national team.
Sports Illustrated has produced its fair share of bold headlines as public scrutiny has surged in the wake of the World Cup. One such headline read: “Hope Solo’s legal trouble complicating World Cup coverage,” with accompanying social media suggesting that commentators would have a hard time calling the World Cup due to Solo’s indiscretions.
The timing of the police report release as well as the ensuing heightened media coverage was designed to coincide with the added attention already given to the World Cup. Few new facts were released besides details of the incident, a year after charges were dropped.
To unearth this scandal again so long after the fact is to detract from the one of the only times when women’s soccer gets the legitimate attention it deserves.
