Citing Solo’s accusation of cowardice among Sweden’s players after the team beat the U.S.in the Olympic quarterfinals in Rio de Janeiro, U.S. officials booted Solo for six months.
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The 35-year-old, who has attracted controversy throughout her career, was widely condemned for her comments and US Soccer president Sunil Gulati has since described her behaviour as “unacceptable”.
US Soccer’s President Sunil Gulati announced to the public that the US Soccer Federation chose to suspend US Women National Soccer Team goalkeeper Hope Solo for the comments she made directed towards the Women’s National Team of Sweden.
Solo, who played on Olympic gold medal-winning teams in 2008 and 2012, said in a statement to Sports Illustrated she was “saddened” by the ban.
Solo called the Swedes “a bunch of cowards” for focusing on defense rather than attacking the three-time defending champion usa team.
At present, Solo will only miss two games for the United States, against Thailand and the Netherlands next month. We showed a lot of heart.
U.S. women’s national team goalkeeper Hope Solo has been suspended for six months for what U.S. Soccer termed conduct “counter to the organization’s principles”.
“The best team did not win today, I strongly, firmly believe that”.
That wasn’t sufficient to avoid a suspension, but at least it was honest; Hope does not mince words, or hold back her actions. Beyond the athletic arena, and beyond the results, the Olympics celebrate and represent the ideals of fair play and respect.
This is not the first time Solo has been in trouble with the governing body, having previously been suspended for 30 days for a number of conduct issues.
“My entire career I have only wanted the best for this team, for the players and for the women’s game and I will continue to pursue these causes with the same unrelenting passion with which I play the game”. We expect all of our representatives to honor those principals with no exceptions. “In 2007, she was ostracized by the national team for several months after ripping its coach at the time, Greg Ryan, for starting her backup in a World Cup semifinal that the Americans lost, 4-0″, the New York Times notes.
As a result of the suspension, Solo would not be eligible for national selection until February 2017, but the player later confirmed on her Facebook page that her national-team contract had been terminated.
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Sweden dropped back. They didn’t want to open play.
