United States Women’s National Team goalkeeper Hope Solo has been suspended for six months for comments she made after losing to Sweden in the Olympics.
The reason for Solo’s suspension was the fact that she called the players on Sweden’s national team “a bunch of cowards” after losing in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Olympics. (RELATED: BREAKING: US Women’s Team That Wants A Pay Raise Just ELIMINATED From The Olympics)
“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,” U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati said in a press release. (SLIDESHOW: This Nearly Naked Model Is All The Motivation You Need For The Olympics)
US goalkeeper Hope Solo prepares to kick the ball during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Quarter-finals women’s football match USA vs Sweden, at the Mane Garrincha Stadium in Brasilia on August 12, 2016. / AFP / EVARISTO SA (Photo credit: EVARISTO SA/AFP/Getty Images)
The suspension is effective immediately, and Solo won’t be eligible to return to the USWNT until February 2017.
This has to be one of the most ridiculous sports suspensions in recent memory. Solo gave her opinion during an emotional post-game press conference following a shocking loss. If this is the standard sports teams are being held to after losses then players in the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB are going to be getting suspended every day.