By Andrew Warshaw
August 25 – Hope Solo, the world’s best-known and most decorated women’s goalkeeper and a household name across the sport, has been suspended by US Soccer for six months for describing Olympic opponents Sweden as “a bunch of cowards”.
Solo was speaking after her country was on the receiving end of a stunning upset in the quarter-finals in Brazil losing 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw that sent the Americans home without a medal for the first time ever US Soccer president Sunil Gulati said her comments, made in the heat of the moment in frustration at the Swedes’ perceived negative tactics, were “unacceptable”.
There was widespread criticism of Solo on social media straight afterwards while Swedish coach, Pia Sundhage, who ironically led the US to the 2008 and 2012 Olympic titles, was dismissive of Solo’s outburst. “I’m going to Rio, she’s going home,” said Sundhage whose side went on to claim silver.
Solo will not be eligible for selection until February following what was the second infraction of a colourful career. In January 2015, she was suspended for 30 days following an incident when her husband was reportedly arrest on drunk-driving while both of them were in borrowed team transport.
In a statement, Gulati said Solo’s latest comments “do not meet the standard of conduct we require from our National Team players.”
“Beyond the athletic arena, and beyond the results, the Olympics celebrate and represent the ideals of fair play and respect. We expect all of our representatives to honor those principles, with no exceptions.
“Taking into consideration the past incidents involving Hope, as well as the private conversations we’ve had requiring her to conduct herself in a manner befitting a U.S. National Team member, U.S. Soccer determined this is the appropriate disciplinary action.”
Solo, a World Cup winner and two-time Olympic gold medalist, has been a regular for the US for a decade but has invariably courted controversy off the field. At 35, there are now suggestions that the latest sanction could end her international career after 202 appearances but this is unlikely – from her end at least -given that the US women’s team only has two fixtures scheduled before the suspension expires in February 2017.
Writing on her Facebook page Solo said was “saddened” by the sanction. “I could not be the player I am without being the person I am, even when I haven’t made the best choices or said the right things,” she said.
And in a statement released by her representatives, she added: “My entire career, I have only wanted the best for this team, for the players and the women’s game and I will continue to pursue these causes with the same unrelenting passion with which I play the game.”
Rich Nichols, the general counsel for the US women’s national team’s players’ association, was quoted in the New York Times as describing Solo’s suspension as “excessive, unprecedented, disproportionate, and a violation of Ms. Solo’s First Amendment rights.”
“She was fired for making comments that a man never would have been fired for,” he added.
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