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United States football legend Hope Solo has pleaded guilty to drunk driving after passing out with her twin sons in a car. Following the incident, the former USWNT goalkeeper admitted that alcohol has wreaked havoc on her life.
Solo was apprehended by police in March after she was found unconscious in her car in a North Carolina shopping center parking lot. At the time, she was with her two-year-old twin sons in the backseat while the engine was running. The 40-year-old has been made to undergo an in-patient alcohol treatment program since her confession.
Commenting on the incident, Hope Solo said in a statement, via BBC Sport:
"It's been a long road, but I'm slowly coming back. I pride myself in motherhood and what my husband and I have done day in and day out for over two years throughout the pandemic with two-year old twins."
She continued:
"While I'm proud of us, it was incredibly hard, and I made a huge mistake - easily the worst mistake of my life. I underestimated what a destructive part of my life alcohol had become. The upside of making a mistake this big is that the hard lessons are learned quickly. Learning these lessons has been difficult and, and at times, very painful."
According to Marca, the former US goalkeeper was hit with a 24-month suspended prison sentence and a 30-day active jail sentence for her irresponsible actions. She, however, earned 30 days' worth of credit by visiting a rehabilitation center and has also been fined $2,500 and told to pay a $600 fee for the cost of the lab tests.
Hope Solo sends appreciation and apology to fans and well wishers
In an Instagram post, the former US goalkeeper apologized for her actions and also thanked everyone who supported her during the difficult period.
"I want to thank my fans. The story you shared and your faith in me meant a great deal," a section of her post read.
Hope Solo has enjoyed a glittering career that spanned 17 years, in which she played across the United States, Sweden and France. She earned 202 caps with the US women's national team, winning Olympic gold in 2008 and 2012, as well as the FIFA World Cup in 2015.
