Hope Solo accuses Sepp Blatter of sexual assault

Agent Coulson · 11-11-2017 12:15am #1

Hope Solo accuses Sepp Blatter of sexual assault at awards ceremony

The former Fifa president Sepp Blatter has been accused by Hope Solo, the USA women’s football team goalkeeper, of having sexually assaulted her at Fifa’s Ballon d’Or awards ceremony in January 2013.

In an interview with the Portuguese newspaper Expresso, being published on Saturday, Solo, 36, claimed she “had Sepp Blatter grab my ass” at the glittering presentation of Fifa’s annual football awards for achievement during 2012. Solo presented the Fifa women’s world player of the year award on stage alongside Blatter, to her colleague on the USA team that had won the gold medal at the London Olympics, the striker Abby Wambach.

Blatter, contacted via his spokesman, responded to Solo’s recollection by denying that the incident took place. “This allegation is ridiculous,” he said.

On the official Fifa film of the event, which was hosted by the Dutch football legend Ruud Gullit and the broadcaster Kay Murray, Solo was shown coming on to the stage with Blatter from behind a curtain at the back of the stage, to present the award to Wambach. Talking to Expresso about sexual harassment in general, which Solo says is “rampant” in sport, she claimed Blatter grabbed her behind seconds before they both went on stage: “I had Sepp Blatter grab my ass,” she said. “It was at the Ballon d’Or, right before I went on stage. [Sexual harassment] has been normalised.”

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/nov/10/hope-solo-sepp-blatter-fifa-sexual-assault-accusation?CMP=fb_gu

Guy:Incognito · 11-11-2017 12:19am

Can't see there being a flood of " that's so out of character for him" and "surely not sepp" posts and tweets

CalamariFritti · 11-11-2017 12:29am

thats so out of character for him :pac:

Tom Mann Centuria · 11-11-2017 12:40am

Nothing to add, other than they are two particularly objectionable individuals. Football would be better with both gone for good.

Mr.Nice Guy · 11-11-2017 1:25am

That's odd, he's always been such a strong advocate of the women's game...

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2004/jan/16/football.gender

Mars Bar · 11-11-2017 12:02pm

I wouldn't be surprised if it was true.

I wouldn't be surprised if it was false.

kona · 11-11-2017 12:26pm

Will there be any men left after this latest outrage?

Rumple Stillson · 11-11-2017 12:50pm

Surely not Sepp?

11-11-2017 1:17pm

Maybe he shouldda just stuck to a hand solo...

SM01 · 11-11-2017 1:19pm

Based on a couple of posts it seems that Hope Solo is a divisive person. What's the background to that?

Not trying to be funny or anything, I'm just aware of her as a footballer but nothing else.

11-11-2017 1:22pm

SM01 wrote: »

Based on a couple of posts it seems that Hope Solo is a divisive person. What's the background to that?

Not trying to be funny or anything, I'm just aware of her as a footballer but nothing else.

Bit of an attitude, was embroiled in some controversy where she was accused of assaulting her nephew who afair was a giant himself.

In fairness, nothing next or near the accusations swirling about Blatter, even before this one.

Tom Mann Centuria · 11-11-2017 1:24pm

SM01 wrote: »

Based on a couple of posts it seems that Hope Solo is a divisive person. What's the background to that?

Not trying to be funny or anything, I'm just aware of her as a footballer but nothing else.

http://www.espn.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/12976615/detailed-look-hope-solo-domestic-violence-case-includes-reports-being-belligerent-jail

https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2016/8/12/12458898/hope-solo-sweden-uswnt-rio-2016-olympics-quotes

GreNoLi · 11-11-2017 5:50pm

Hope spring's eternal.

Rikand · 11-11-2017 6:07pm

Oh please let this be true

irishman86 · 11-11-2017 6:33pm

I hate to dismiss someone, but Hope Solo is the exact sort of person who would do this for her brief moment of attention.

Tom Mann Centuria · 11-11-2017 6:35pm

irishman86 wrote: »

I hate to dismiss someone, but Hope Solo is the exact sort of person who would do this for her brief moment of attention.

Definitely, but Blatter is also just the sort of person to do what he was accused of.

Wouldn't trust either of them as far as I could throw them.

Rikand · 11-11-2017 6:54pm

irishman86 wrote: »

I hate to dismiss someone, but Hope Solo is the exact sort of person who would do this for her brief moment of attention.

Sepp probably knew no-one would believe her

irishman86 · 11-11-2017 7:22pm

Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »

Definitely, but Blatter is also just the sort of person to do what he was accused of. Wouldn't trust either of them as far as I could throw them.

I agree with you there buddy