U.S. Soccer presidential candidate and former goalkeeper Hope Solo has submitted a complaint to the U.S. Olympic Committee alleging that the federation is in violation of the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act.
.@ussoccer has neglected its fundamental obligation to develop soccer in America and is in violation of the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act. Today, I asked the USOC to hold the Federation accountable https://t.co/JNYBJvWL2c
— Hope Solo (@hopesolo) January 30, 2018
Here's everything you need to know from Solo's allegations.
What is the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act?
It is the revised version of the Amateur Sports Act of 1978. One of the major changes is that amateurism is no longer a requirement for athletes competing in most international sports. The Stevens Act also grants monopoly status to the U.S. Olympic Committee, specifying requirements for its member national governing bodies for individualized sports.
Why is she saying they are in violation of it?
Solo says that the federation isn't doing what it needs to in order to "develop interest and participation" throughout the country. She also claims institutional bias in favor of MLS, which she seems to believe is hurting the amateur game.
She goes on quote USSF president Sunil Gulati for a comment he said at the 2014 National Council Meeting that the federation is "more of a consumer-driven organization," saying that is because of its financial partnership with MLS through Soccer United Marketing, led by fellow presidential candidate Kathy Carter.
"As our National Governing Body, the USSF is in blatant violation of the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act," reads Solo's complaint.
"Today, I have called upon the United States Olympic Committee to hold U.S. Soccer accountable with the submission of a formal complaint under Section 220527 of the Stevens Act."
Click here to read the full complaint.
So what does this mean?
In the end, probably not a whole lot. This seems more like her saying what she claims are pieces of evidence of U.S. Soccer not properly supporting amateur athletics and the development of the game, but they are pretty subjective claims. In the end, it most likely results in nothing changing legally but shows that Solo isn't afraid to come strong at the federation.
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