U.S. Soccer Suspends Hope Solo & Terminates Her Contract Following Post-Match Comments
Latest: Hope Solo Will Not Finish NWSL Season – Solo leaves her club, the Seattle Reign, with four games left on the regular-season schedule and is just a few points short of securing a playoff spot.
“Coming to terms with the fact I was fired from the U.S. women’s national team after 17 years of service has been devastating,” Solo said in her statement Tuesday. “After careful consideration, I have decided to end my season with the Seattle Reign, an organization I love playing for. Mentally, I am not there yet.
“After watching the team’s win against Portland this weekend and seeing Haley Kopmeyer playing so well in goal, I truly believe this decision is what’s best for me and for the Reign organization.”
Hope Solo’s career with the U.S. Women’s National Team may be coming to an end following U.S. Soccer’s decision to suspend the goalkeeper for six months as well as terminate her contract with the federation. Solo’s comments on the Sweden National Team playing like “a bunch of cowards” after their loss in the quarterfinal match has received backlash from the soccer world as the notable USWNT goalkeeper finds herself in yet another controversy. Even the famous goalkeeper’s teammate Megan Rapinoe told NBC she was “really disappointed” by Hope Solo’s comment. What does Hope Solo stand for and did she ever realize the responsibility of being in the limelight? Only time will tell.
Soccer News: Hope Solo has often been in the news in recent years — usually none of it positive. Although this incredibly decorated and amazing goalie has protected the USA net and been the last line of defense for more than a decade, Solo has often found herself maligned in the media and the subject of many on and off field conversations. It is hard to talk soccer without the conversation drifting to Hope Solo.
And now that she will not play anymore this NWSL season, with the Seattle Reign has granted her personal leave — Solo moves further away from the goal, the spotlight and her fans.
This time, the world’s most famous female goalkeeper finds herself in the news once again — this time after being told last night in person by Jill Ellis and the federation’s chief executive, Dan Flynn, that she was receiving her second ban in two years from the U.S. Women’s National Team following her post-game comments during the 2016 Summer Olympics.
U.S. Soccer has terminated the contract of Solo for what it called “conduct that is counter to the organization’s principles,” and served up a six-month ban from the USWNT as well. The suspension for Solo, who had previously been suspended for 30 days early in 2015 — also for her conduct — was effective immediately.
“The comments by Hope Solo after the match against Sweden during the 2016 Olympics were unacceptable and do not meet the standard of conduct we require from our National Team players,” said U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati. “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,” said Gulati.
Solo’s remarks came after a stunning loss to Sweden in the quarterfinals that sparked additional controversy surrounding the American goalkeeper who received jeers throughout the tournament from local fans due to her remarks about Zika on social media.
“I thought that we played a courageous game. I’m very proud of this team,” said Solo. “But I also think we played a bunch of cowards. The best team did not win today.”
The USWNT were seeking their fourth consecutive gold medal at the summer olympics that was stalled short by former head coach Pia Sundhage.
“Sweden dropped off. They didn’t want to open play. They didn’t want to pass the ball. They didn’t want to play great soccer,” Solo concluded.
Sweden went on to advance to the gold medal match versus Germany, which saw Sundhage’s side fall 2-1 at the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro.
Solo’s teammates have distanced themselves from her remarks — leaving her out in the cold to weather this self-inflicted storm on her own. With a mantra of Respect being fundamental for U.S. Soccer and good sportsmanship being an American pride, Solo’s comments flew in the face of what it means to be a top athlete today.
In the words of U.S. Soccer, “U.S. Soccer has suspended goalkeeper Hope Solo from the U.S. Women’s National Team for six months for conduct that is counter to the organization’s principles.
Alex Morgan commented, “I saw her comments, but I feel like those are opinions I don’t share.”
Solo has received criticism for her behavior off the field with her 2014 arrest for two misdemeanor counts of assault filed by her half-sister and nephew highlighting the most controversial case.
Solo’s ten-year, national team career remains in question as the 35-year-old comes to the final stretch. Solo is one of the best goalkeepers on the planet, and a highly decorated player. A three-time Olympic medalist winner, this star of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup has made 202 appearances for her country and has earned 102 shutouts. Solo was the winner of the 2011 and 2015 FIFA World Cup Golden Glove awards.
“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,” Solo said. “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.”
Editor’s Note: Some people think Hope Solo has been unfairly treated because she is a woman and if a man uttered the same sentiment after a heated match, it would never have blown up.
Others compare her actions to US swimmer Ryan Locate who fabricated a story about being robbed, which created an international Olympics scandal. Which is worse? Obviously Locate’s actions. Other people think back to the assault charges filed against her and wonder … after all, NFL player Ray Rice was dropped by the Ravens after punching his then-fiancée in a casino elevator — did Solo get away with something here or was a bad family scene blown out of proportion fueled by heresay?
Solo has certainly had a difficult relationship with U.S. Soccer and I have often wondered if the organization that benefited from her talents did enough to help her. As I said in the beginning, it is hard to talk soccer today without the conversation drifting to Hope Solo. I am constantly on the youth and pro soccer fields of America and the topic of Hope’s off field antics came up several times last weekend. Most people were happy to bash her. It made me think that the one thing we must all acknowledge is what she has done for bringing soccer into the limelight. From her earlier days on Dancing with the Stars to her immediate cry for better conditions for the U.S. Soccer Women’s National Team when she saw the conditions of the Turf in Hawaii — Solo is a force to be reckoned with and not one that will quietly go away in the night. At least, I hope not.
This is a major reckoning for calling Sweden “cowards” in response to their team taking defensive tactics in the Olympic quarterfinal.
Always an advocate of women’s rights and equality on and off the soccer field, if you want more information on Solo, you should check out her Blog.
