U.S. women's national team G Hope Solo "will miss two games after being suspended by U.S. Soccer for a minimum of 30 days following her husband's arrest on drunken driving charges" in Manhattan Beach, Calif., according to Nancy Armour of USA TODAY. Though Solo "isn't facing any charges," TMZ reported that Solo "was 'acting belligerent' and recorded the officers on her cell phone." The incident "came just six days after domestic abuse charges against Solo were dismissed" in Kirkland, Wash. U.S. Soccer "allowed her to continue playing while the court case played out." But the federation "might have taken a dimmer view of this latest incident because it occurred while she was at training camp" (USA TODAY, 1/22). ESPNW's Julie Foudy cited a source as saying that Solo's suspension "was the result of a culmination of things." The source added that team officials "were furious they had to find out about the incident from a TMZ report, not directly from her, and that it happened during camp." Solo's suspension "is effective immediately, with Solo being released from camp." She "will miss matches Feb. 8 in France and Feb. 13 in England" (ESPNW.com, 1/21). In DC, Steven Goff asked, "So why did the USSF act now and not when Solo was charged in the domestic case in Washington state?" Solo "was not on U.S. duty" at the time of the domestic-violence allegations, and the facts "were in dispute." However, Solo "was on U.S. assignment" at the time of the most recent incident (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 1/21).
ANOTHER ROUND OF DISTRACTIONS: Foudy noted U.S. Soccer is most worried about Solo’s behavior affecting team chemistry, team focus and if she can be a “model teammate” going forward leading into the World Cup. Foudy: “There was a sigh of relief from the team when the judge dismissed those domestic violence charges because that had been, obviously, the topic of conversation around all press conferences, around all questions. It’s a distraction no matter how much you don’t want to talk about it. The press wants to talk about it and it was all the team was talking about. … For this to happen just a week after those charges was dismissed is tough. I think again it’s another distraction that’s not wanted. It’s more questions. It’s more drama” (ESPN.com, 1/21). Soccer Wire Editor and senior writer Charles Boehm said, “I think there’s real concern that she just can’t stay out of trouble” ("CBS This Morning," 1/22).
