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Hope Solo suspended for 6 months over explosive comments following US loss to Sweden in the Olympics
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Hope Solo has been suspended for six months following a comment she made after losing to Sweden at the Rio Olympics. She called her opponents "cowards."
The US Women's National Team has come down hard on Hope Solo, suspending her for her comments after Sweden eliminated the US from the Rio Olympics soccer tournament.
The USWNT announced Wednesday that Solo would be suspended for six months for "conduct that is counter to the organization's principles."
The suspension is effective immediately.
Sunil Gulati, the president of US soccer, said in the statement:
"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. 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 US National Team member, US Soccer determined this is the appropriate disciplinary action."
The US lost to Sweden in the quarterfinals in penalty kicks. Afterward, Solo ripped the Swedes, saying they played like "cowards" in using a conservative style over the second half of the game.
"I'm very proud of this team," Solo said after the loss. "But I also think we played a bunch of cowards. The best team did not win today. I strongly believe that."
She continued, adding a barb toward former US coach Pia Sundhage: "Sweden dropped off. They didn't want to open play. They didn't want to play great soccer ... We had that style of play when Pia [Sundhage] was our coach. I don't think they're going make it far in the tournament. I think it was very cowardly."
Sweden lost in the final to Germany.
Solo will not be "eligible for selection" for the US until February 2017, according to the statement.
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