Hope Solo accuses former FIFA President Blatter of sexual assault

Hope Solo told a Portuguese newspaper that former FIFA President Sepp Blatter sexually assaulted her at the Ballon d'Or awards ceremony in 2013.

In an interview published Friday in the newspaper Expresso, Solo said Blatter grabbed her rear end shortly before the two appeared onstage at the annual soccer awards event.

A representative for Solo confirmed Friday to The Associated Press that the report was accurate and that the former goalkeeper for the U.S. women's national team had no further comment on the matter.

Blatter could not immediately be reached for comment, but the embattled former head of soccer's governing body told the Guardian newspaper: "This allegation is ridiculous."