Seattle Reign goalkeeper Hope Solo was suspended from the USA women’s national team for six months for “conduct that is counter to the organization’s principles”, according to a release.
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‘We expect all of our representatives to honor those principles, with no exceptions’.
According to Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated, Solo can still play for her club team, the Seattle Reign of the NWSL, during the suspension.
The U.S. were beaten by Sweden in penalty kicks at the Olympics.
The USWNT announced on Wednesday that Solo would be suspended for six months for “conduct that is counter to the organization’s principles”. “We feel at this time it is best for her to step away from the team”.
The goal keeper controversially said “I think we played a bunch of cowards” after they lost to the Swedes in the quarterfinals of the Olympics.
Solo will not be eligible for selection to the U.S. Women’s National Team until February 2017.
“I thought that we played a courageous game”, Solo said.
Here’s the full quote Solo gave to reporters after the loss.
The 35-year-old was also suspended for 30 days in 2015 for misconduct. The U.S. doesn’t have any important tournaments during the suspension and really no major competition until the 2019 World Cup. Current U.S. coach Jill Ellis was her assistant.
Solo’s history of controversial comments goes back to the 2007 World Cup, when she publicly criticized her manager for starting Briana Scurry at goalkeeper in a semifinal loss to Brazil. Even considering her prior conduct problems, the length of suspension is surprising for simply inflammatory comments, but U.S. Soccer made it clear in the statement that there is likely more to this than meets the eye.
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Solo responded to the suspension, saying, “I apologize for disappointing my teammates, coaches and the Federation who have always supported me”, she wrote.
