
Hope Solo broke the silence on her domestic violence arrest via her Facebook page Thursday evening. The soccer goalie for the U.S. Women’s National team posted an apology for her involvement in the violent incident.
“I would like to apologize to my fans, teammates, coaches, marketing partners and the entire US Soccer and Seattle Reign FC communities for my involvement in a highly unfortunate incident this past weekend. I understand that, as a public figure, I am held to a higher standard of conduct,” she wrote. “I take seriously my responsibilities as a role model and sincerely apologize to everyone I have disappointed.”
“I love my family dearly,” she continued. “We, like all families, have our challenges but my sincere hope is that we are able to resolve this situation as a family. Adversity has always made us stronger and I know this situation will be no different.”
Police arrested Solo, 32, Saturday morning after she was accused of hitting both her sister and her nephew. Her lawyer has claimed that the Olympic gold medalist was actually the victim in the altercation. Authorities say that both Solo and her sister had visible injuries.
Solo currently plays for the Seattle Reign FC and has been in the spotlight in that city. “I consider [Solo] a celebrity in Seattle,” Kirkland Police Lt. Mike Murray told TIME. But “she was very uncooperative. She can lose her temper very easily.”
This isn’t the first time Solo has been tied up in domestic abuse claims: in 2012 her then-boyfriend NFL player Jerramy Stevens was arrested for allegedly assaulting Solo. The two have since married.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Inside Elon Musk’s War on Washington
- Meet the 2025 Women of the Year
- The Harsh Truth About Disability Inclusion
- Why Do More Young Adults Have Cancer?
- Colman Domingo Leads With Radical Love
- How to Get Better at Doing Things Alone
- Cecily Strong on Goober the Clown
- Column: The Rise of America’s Broligarchy
Write to Eliana Dockterman at eliana.dockterman@time.com