Hope Solo Suspended By U.S. Soccer, Cut From National Team

Hope Solo's soccer career could be over after U.S. Soccer suspended her and the national team terminated her contract. The suspension and release seem to be in connection to her remarks after the Swedish team eliminated the U.S. women from the Olympics. Solo called the opposing team "a bunch of cowards" after her team lost on penalty kicks. “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,” U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati said in a statement. “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. The suspension and release could spell the end for Solo, who will be 38 when the national team plays its next major tournament in 2019. Her career was a long and illustrious one, albeit marred by a domestic violence arrest and a DUI. She was also a vocal advocate for better pay and treatment for women soccer players. Solo defended her remarks as being inextricable from her athletic success.

The USWNT Players Association's executive director issued a statement in support of Solo.

"Solo, the most dominant goalkeeper in women’s soccer history, has won one World Cup title and two Olympic gold medals in a U.S. career that has included 202 national team appearances and 102 clean sheets. Both are the most ever internationally for a goalkeeper, male or female," Sports Illustrated wrote in breaking the story. Ryan Lochte's discipline is still pending.