IOC Dir of Communications Mark Adams said U.S. women's soccer G Hope Solo is "unlikely" to receive an official IOC sanction over her comments describing Sweden’s women’s soccer team as "cowards" following the U.S. loss in a quarterfinal match in Rio, according to Martin Rogers of USA TODAY. The IOC "takes a firm stance of acts it considers may sully the reputation of the Olympics." However, Adams said, "It falls I think into the category of sportsmanship. Things are said in the heat of the moment. Clearly passions run very, very high and people say things they regret. We would just call for people to treat their opponents with sportsmanship and respect during these Games" (USATODAY.com, 8/13). In N.Y., Jay Schreiber noted Solo "ripped into the Swedes, saying they had played like 'a bunch of cowards'" in their win in penalty kicks. Solo said, “The best team did not win today. I strongly and firmly believe that.’’ Schreiber noted Solo’s gripe was that Sweden, under the guidance of coach Pia Sundhage, "sat back for much of the game, content to let the Americans push the action." Sundhage, who formerly coached the USWNT, last year said that Solo "was one of the most challenging players to coach because of her tendency to create trouble for herself off the field." Sundhage on Friday said, “It’s O.K. to be a coward if you win" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/13). SI.com's Grant Wahl wrote Solo's comments were "lacking grace and a sense of the Olympic spirit." Wahl: "I’m convinced that they reflected her honest opinion, but they didn’t have to be said" (SI.com, 8/12).
FOOL WITHOUT GOLD? In Boston, Steve Buckley wrote Solo "has made a colossal fool of herself -- and, by extension, damaged the reputation" of the USWNT (BOSTON HERALD, 8/14). ESPN analyst and former USWNT member Julie Foudy said, "To call them cowards for playing a tactically smart game is ridiculous and classless and it really doesn't represent the house that we built in the U.S. team" (ESPNW.com, 8/13). Foudy added, "Those of us who have played on the national team for a long time, we thought it was pretty classless ("GMA," ABC, 8/13). ESPN's Kevin Connors said Solo's comments were "boorish at best, ignorant at worst" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 8/13). The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Matthew Futterman noted Solo "has been one of the controversial figures of the Games after speaking openly about her fear of mosquitoes and the Zika virus." Fans "heckled her in Brazil, screaming 'Zika' every time she kicked the ball" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 8/13). In Montreal, Jack Todd wrote Solo's comments were "yet another illustration of how not to behave on the international stage" (MONTREAL GAZETTE, 8/15).
ENOUGH BLAME TO GO AROUND: In San Diego, Mark Zeigler wrote the "joke is on the USOC and U.S. Soccer, not just Solo." They "had enough data points to know she was live ordnance, and the inevitable detonation is as much a reflection on them as it is on her." They knew "she shouldn’t be on the team." They also "knew the team wouldn’t be as good without her." They "picked winning games over winning hearts" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 8/13). In L.A., Bill Plaschke wrote the remarks came from a "classless goalie who never should have been on this Olympic team." Solo "should have been long since booted for, among other things, a domestic violence charge that is still unsettled." But U.S. Soccer "needed her to win last summer’s World Cup, and now it is paying the price for needing her again" (L.A. TIMES, 8/13). Fox Sports' Nick Wright asked, "When do we get to enough is enough with Hope Solo, to where we don't need her representing our country in the U.S. women's national team anymore?" ("Fox Sports Live With Jay and Dan," FS1, 8/13). In Hartford, Jeff Jacobs wrote under the header, "U.S. Soccer Should Hold Hope Solo Accountable For Her Comments" (HARTFORD COURANT, 8/14). In California, Scott Reid wrote under the header, "U.S. Soccer Needs To Save Itself From Hope Solo" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 8/13).
TAKING TO THE DEFENSE: In Tampa, Tom Jones wonders what the "big deal" is with Solo's comments, calling it "much ado about nothing." Jones: "So she took a swipe at the Swedes' tactics and, besides, she even added that the strategy worked because her team was going home. ... We criticize our athletes for being boring and never saying anything interesting and giving us a bunch of cliches. And then when an athlete speaks her mind, we tell her to shut up?" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 8/15). In Colorado Springs, David Ramsey wrote as long as Solo "remains America's best soccer goalkeeper, she should remain in front of the net." She "will erupt again, maybe tomorrow, but that's the price tag for her skills." Ramsey: "She's worth the risk" (Colorado Springs GAZETTE, 8/14).
