Solo files complaint against U.S. Soccer
Former U.S. women’s national-team goalkeeper Hope Solo has filed a complaint against the U.S. Soccer Federation with the U.S. Olympic Committee, accusing it of illegally favoring Major League Soccer.
Solo, among eight candidates running in the Feb. 10 election to succeed Sunil Gulati as USSF president, said in a 38-page complaint announced Tuesday that “the USSF’s paramount concern has become protecting and nurturing the MLS, even if at the expense of other stakeholders, including those involved in professional women’s and amateur soccer.”
She filed the complaint under the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act and asked that the USOC place the USSF on probation for up to 180 days and require soccer’s U.S. governing body to correct the conditions she alleges are improper.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber has endorsed Kathy Carter, on leave as president of Soccer United Marketing, to succeed Gulati. SUM was launched in 2002 and holds exclusive commercial rights to MLS and the USSF.
Premier League leader Manchester City increased its lead to 15 points by beating West Bromwich Albion 3-0 while its two closest rivals lost.
Second-place Manchester United conceded a goal after just 11 seconds to Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen — the fastest EPL goal since 2000 — and was beaten 2-0 at Wembley Stadium in front of a record EPL attendance of 81,978.
Chelsea lost 3-0 to Bournemouth at home to drop to fourth — below Liverpool on goal difference — and is 18 points behind City.
Catcher Alex Avila has signed a two-year, $8.25 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Avila, 31, fills a roster spot vacated by catcher Chris Iannetta, who signed with Colorado.
Last season, Avila hit .264 with 14 home runs and 49 RBIs with the Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs. He is a career .243 hitter in nine major-league seasons and is the son of Tigers general manager Al Avila.
Left-hander Josh Smoker was traded from the New York Mets to the Pittsburgh Pirates for minor-league left-hander Daniel Zamora and cash, five days after Smoker was designated for assignment.
Smoker, 29, went 1-2 with a 5.11 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 561⁄3 innings over 54 relief appearances last year.
Two former A’s were reported to have agreed to minorleague contracts. The Phillies landed infielder Adam Rosales, 34, who’ll earn a $1.75 million base salary if he makes the roster, according to USA Today. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that righty reliever Edward Mujica, 33, has come to terms with the Cardinals. Colleges: St. Mary’s Mandy Bible (volleyball), USF’s Sue Enos O’Meara (basketball and volleyball) and Santa Clara’s Cameron Rast (soccer) will represent the WCC’s three Bay Area schools in the conference’s 10th annual Hall of Honor class.
The three student-athletes — along with one representative from each of the other seven WCC schools — will be inducted March 3 at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas. Obituary: Former NBA forward Rasual Butler, 38, and his wife, 31-year-old Leah LaBelle Vladowski, were killed in a single-vehicle rollover crash in Los Angeles.
The crash happened around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Studio City area and left a swath of damage along a major thoroughfare. They were pronounced dead at the scene. Police said in a statement that Butler had been speeding.
Butler was drafted in 2002 by the Miami Heat and played for a total of eight NBA teams over 13 seasons.