Less than one month after she was arrested for driving under the influence, Hope Solo is entering treatment.
“I have contacted the Hall of Fame and respectfully requested a postponement of my [National Soccer] Hall of Fame induction ceremony to 2023,” the professional athlete, 40, tweeted on Friday, April 29. “I will be voluntarily entering an in-patient alcohol treatment program to address my challenges with alcohol.”
She continued in her statement: “At this time, my energies and focus are totally directed to my health, healing and taking care of my family. I want to thank the Hall of Fame for their support and for understanding my decision.”
News broke earlier this month that the Solo: A Memoir of Hope author was taken into custody in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on charges of impaired driving (DWI) and resisting arrest. Us Weekly confirmed she was subsequently released after booking.
“On the advice of counsel, Hope can’t speak about this situation,” Rich Nichols, a lawyer for the soccer star told Us in an April 1 statement. “But she wants everyone to know that her kids are her life, that she was released immediately and is now at home with her family, that the story is more sympathetic than the initial charges suggest, and that she looks forward to her opportunity to defend these charges.”
According to the police report, obtained exclusively by Us, a witness allegedly noticed Solo had been “passed out behind [the wheel]” for more than one hour while the engine was running. The Washington native’s children — Lozen and Vittorio, both 2 — were also in the vehicle. When local police officers woke Solo up, they allegedly noticed the scent of alcohol on her breath and claimed her eyes were red.
Solo allegedly refused to cooperate in a field sobriety test, per the police report, and a search warrant was then issued to obtain blood samples ahead of her arrest. A court hearing is scheduled for June 28.
The Dancing With the Stars alum — who shares her twins with husband Jerramy Stevens — later broke her silence via Instagram.
“For those who have reached out showing love and support, thank you. Our family is strong and surrounded with love,” she captioned a social media upload on April 3. “Our kids are strong, intelligent, happy and vibrant, and we are present every day giving them the best life possible. We will be able to share the facts in due time.”
The Olympic athlete added: “In the meantime, our kids are enjoying the NC sun, eating popsicles and playing on our property. Life can be tough, but these are truly the moments that matter. I feel blessed to have this kind of love in my life.”
If you or anyone you know is facing substance abuse issues, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for free and confidential information 24/7.
