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Will 'drunk' controversy distract U.S. women's soccer team?

Expectations are high for the U.S. women's soccer team as they get set to take the field Wednesday night for a preliminary match against France. But recent comments from goalie Hope Solo — including a claim that she did a TODAY interview "drunk" in 2008 — have raised concerns the team may be battling off-the-field distractions.

"This (ESPN The Magazine) interview has to raise serious questions about judgment and accountability and responsibility and about the privilege of wearing Team USA’s uniform,'' NBC Olympics analyst Alan Abrahamson told TODAY Wednesday.

Solo also admitted in the magazine interview that she and her teammates flashed their gold medals to distract the guards and sneak non-athletes into the Olympic village, which she said is "absolutely unheard of." She followed that by admitting to being drunk on TODAY along with some of her teammates. Eleven of the 18 members from the U.S. women's soccer team that won the gold in Beijing return for a run at the gold in London.

"When we were done partying, we got out of our nice dresses, got back into our stadium coats and, at 7 a.m. with no sleep, went on the TODAY show drunk," the goalie told ESPN the Magazine of the 2008 incident. 

Watch the 2008 TODAY interview below and read more on ESPN here

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