Should Seattle Reign, Nike consider dropping Hope Solo over domestic violence charges?
Sep 22, 2014, 11:56 AM | Updated: 2:22 pm
Seattle Reign and US. Women's National Team player Hope Solo is facing her own domestic violence charges. Are people turning a blind eye? (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
In the midst of NFL controversy, talk has turned to Seattle soccer star Hope Solo, who faces domestic violence charges of her own.
Sports blogger for The Washington Post Cindy Boren reminded us all in a piece Friday that Solo, who plays for Seattle Reign FC and the U.S. Women’s National Team, has been charged with two counts of domestic violence against her half-sister and nephew for an incident last year in Kirkland.
“Unlike some of the biggest NFL stars, Solo, who is their counterpart in women’s soccer and someone touted as a role model, quietly goes about her business of keeping soccer balls from going into the net,” writes Boren, who also highlights the fact that Nike has remained mum on this female athlete they sponsor.
If Nike is going to drop players like Ray Rice for domestic violence allegations, Ron & Don Show host Ron Upshaw thinks they should also consider the same for Solo.
“I think they should drop her because it’s not the first time it’s happened,” says Ron, citing a previous incident where Solo’s then-fiance Jerramy Stevens was arrested for domestic violence after an alleged argument with Solo.
“If this was the first issue that ever happened with Hope Solo, I think you can be lenient,” says Ron. “If it happens multiple times, that’s a trend. Most people that you know and most people I know do not repeatedly have 911 calls to their house for domestic violence.”
Co-host Don O’Neill agrees it’s not something Nike or the teams she plays for should ignore. He says it seems like there is a double standard looking at how people are responding to male NFL players’ alleged offenses and Solo’s.
“I think it’s a total double standard and I think Nike should look at that and I think the soccer team that she plays for, I think they really need to look at that.”
Don stresses that females aren’t the only victims of domestic violence. “We have to understand it happens to men, too.”
No matter who the offender is, male or female, a famous athlete or a no-name office worker, Don thinks these situations have to be taken seriously and the employer should take a look at the case and decide how to handle it.
“If it’s a warehouse worker, or somebody who worked here, or a guy that plays for the National Football League or Hope Solo, I think you have to at least look at it,” says Don.
