Hope Solo is serious about her bid to lead U.S. Soccer Federation
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| Photo: Chris Szagola, Associated Press |
By Ann Killion
When Hope Solo announced last month that she was running for president of the United States Soccer Federation, you could almost hear the sound of eyes rolling.
Solo, the former women’s national team goalkeeper, wants to become president of the federation that fired her 16 months ago and then settled a grievance with her?
Was this a joke? A publicity stunt? A terrible idea?
No. No. And no.
“I’ve taken a step away after being so involved in women’s soccer and taken a bird’s-eye view of what’s important to me,” Solo said Friday in an exclusive interview with The Chronicle, her first interview since announcing her candidacy.
“I realize I need to do more. There’s no reason to stop fighting for all the things I fought for while I was an employee of U.S. Soccer.”
Solo is positioning herself as “the candidate of change.” (Disclosure: I co-authored Solo’s autobiography, “Solo: a Memoir of Hope” in 2012.)
The only certainty in the eight-person race, which will be resolved in a convoluted election process in early February, is that there will be change. Longtime president Sunil Gulati, who has controlled the federation since 2006 but has been under fire since the men’s team failed to qualify for this summer’s World Cup, announced in December that he was withdrawing from the race.
So the question is: Who actually represents real change? One could argue that Solo does.
“The only way to exact change is to be unencumbered with regard to the U.S. Soccer Federation,” said Rich Nichols, the Bay Area attorney who previously represented the women’s players association in the collective bargaining fight for equal pay with the men and who is acting as Solo’s campaign manager. “She has no economic ties, no need for their stamp of approval.”
In that way, Solo’s past as an outspoken player who battled with the federation and suffered the consequences may actually work in her favor.
However, this is the cloak-and-dagger world of high-stakes soccer, and there is little transparency to the process. Of the eight candidates, Solo is by far the most well-known name and has said she has received enormous support in her recent weeks of campaigning and connecting with delegates.
“It’s been incredible,” she said. “I think people’s opinions about me change when they meet me or talk to me directly. Some of the conversations have been hard, but people understand that my intentions are correct in running.”
One of Solo’s priorities is addressing inequities in the youth soccer system and the “pay-to-play” culture that leaves too many promising players on the sidelines.
FILE - In this April 10, 2016, file photo, United States' Hope Solo waits for the team's international friendly soccer match against Colombia in Chester, Pa. Former national team goalkeeper Solo says she’s running for president of U.S. Soccer. Solo made the announcement Thursday night, Dec. 7, 2017, on Facebook. It comes less than a week after current U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati said he will not seek a fourth term. His decision came in the wake of the October failure of the U.S. men's team to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola, File) Hope Solo announces she's running for president of U.S. Soccer BRASILIA, BRAZIL - AUGUST 12: Goalkeeper Hope Solo #1 of United States is seen before playing against Sweden during the Women's Football Quarterfinal match at Mane Garrincha Stadium on Day 7 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on August 12, 2016 in Brasilia, Brazil. (Photo by Celso Junior/Getty Images) Hope Solo settles grievance with U.S. Soccer Federation United States goal keeper Hope Solo holds the ball after a stop during the second half of an international friendly soccer match against Japan, Sunday, June 5, 2016, in Cleveland, Ohio. (AP Photo/David Dermer) Hope Solo deserved better from U.S. Soccer
Representatives of youth soccer make up a quarter of the voting delegates. Representatives of adult soccer and professional soccer each constitute 25 percent, an athlete council receives 20 percent of the vote, and the remaining 5 percent is made up of board members and life members. So the issues involved in running the federation go far beyond the success or failure of the national teams.
The candidate field includes two lawyers, three former national men’s team players (Eric Wynalda, Paul Caligiuri and Kyle Martino) and two federation insiders. Of the latter group, Kathy Carter, the on-leave president of Soccer United Marketing, Major League Soccer’s marketing arm, is considered Gulati’s hand-picked favorite. However, Carter’s candidacy raises exactly the kind of concerns about conflicts of interest and prioritizing corporate interests that have plagued the federation.
“U.S. Soccer will do anything to protect their own means and vision and not necessarily do what their constituents want,” Solo said. “There are incredible conflicts of interest.”
Solo has seen those conflicts of interest and the opaqueness of the federation up close while helping to lead the fight for equal pay. She believes her role in that battle is the main reason she was terminated.
Along the way, Solo rubbed many insiders the wrong way, pointing out inequities, refusing to play politics and making enemies. She formerly had a close relationship with Gulati, who supported her when former coach Greg Ryan tried to remove her after some controversial post-match comments at the 2007 World Cup. Nine years later, Gulati terminated her contract for the same infraction: making controversial post-match comments (calling the Swedish team “cowards”) at the Rio Olympics.
Solo has long been an advocate for equality for women’s teams and players, another key plank of her platform.
“Hope has been a leader in the fight for equal pay,” said Nichols, who was fired by the players’ association a year ago, prior to their CBA settlement. “She’s been outspoken and courageous and willing to challenge the establishment.”
Nichols, who has worked in sports for years, finds the USSF election process “convoluted and incomprehensible.” The election is scheduled for February 10, at the general meeting which is held in Orlando, Feb. 8-11, but Solo and Nichols said they are having a hard time finding out more details about the election such as how the run-off process will work.
Solo wants to throw off the cloak of secrecy that covers the federation and turn it into a role model of diversity and equality.
“I think U.S. Soccer should be global leader,” she said. “We have the money and diversity and the players.”
Solo said she is assembling an experienced team that she will rely on if elected. Later this month at a coaches convention in Philadelphia, each candidate will be interviewed onstage, and there will be a debate between candidates.
Solo believes she is the true candidate for change.
“I understand it’s very political,” she said. “But I’m not afraid to use my voice. Those who want to effect change immediately, those are the voters I’m going to win over.”
Ann Killion is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: akillion@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @annkillion