ANOTHER ONE

Hope Solo Accuses Ex-FIFA Head Sepp Blatter of Grabbing Her Butt

The U.S. soccer star says sexual misconduct has been “normalized.”

U.S. soccer star Hope Solo has accused former FIFA President Sepp Blatter of groping her at an awards ceremony in 2013. Solo told the Expresso newspaper in an interview published Friday that Blatter grabbed her rear before the two walked onstage at a ceremony honoring the world’s best soccer players. “I had Sepp Blatter grab my ass,” Solo told the publication while discussing recent sexual harassment scandals. “It was at the Ballon D'or one year, right before I went on stage. ... It's been normalized.” Solo, who was credited with leading the women’s team to gold at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, declined to provide further details on the alleged incident. A spokesman for Blatter described the allegation as “ridiculous.” Blatter served as president of the world’s soccer governing body from 2008 until 2015, when he resigned amid corruption accusations.