Over the past year, the United States women’s soccer goalkeeper Hope Solo has been under almost constant investigation.  Most people believe that this scrutiny is well deserved because of Solo’s atrocious actions that include the domestic abuse of her half sister and nephew in 2014.  Then, to make matters worse, during the summer Olympic games, she accused the Swedish women’s national soccer team of being “cowards” for keeping the game tied in order to progress into penalty kicks.  

The opinions on Solo’s termination were mixed.  Most agree that Solo should have been fired directly following her domestic abuse case, but that the comments made to the Swedish team alone were not enough to be the cause for termination.

In a Sports Illustrated article published following Solo’s termination,U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Jill Ellis said, “It wasn’t a decision just made about comments. It was a sum total of actions that have unfortunately shown a negative light on our program.”

The decision to terminate Solo was later endorsed by now retired star forward Abby Wambach.  By supporting the decision to fire Solo, Wambach is pulling her support of her former teammate, an action that, in normal circumstances, would be offensive.

Many people were shocked by this bold decision made by the U.S. soccer federation, however others found this decision inevitable and welcomed the mix up in the roster.  Varsity soccer player Ella Edwards (‘19) supported the Federation’s decision in firing Solo, however she believes that the situation had subsided before the Federation fired her.  

“I do think their decision is somewhat justified because she is kind of crazy with her actions, but she has also been part of the national team for years and it wasn’t right to terminate her this far after the fact.”

Ella also believes that the timing of her termination should have been earlier. “If the association was going to fire her, it should have been when the incidents happened.

Ella has “no clue why Abby Wambach supports the federation because Solo had been her teammate for years and Wambach turned against her in her time of need.”  Many people believe that teammates should stick together, yet Wambach not only abandoned her teammate in a time of need, but she also supported her termination.

Girls varsity soccer player Ariana Munoz agrees with the federation as well.  She believes that it was the right decision because “the federation does not want to be associated with Solo’s bad sportsmanship as seen through her incredibly rude comments towards foreign opponents.”  

Munoz also believes that Solo should have been fired earlier for her arrest in 2014 with the charges of assault.  Munoz also believes that Solo has a “bad temper” and the “final straw” was the encounter with the Swedish women’s national team where Solo called them “a bunch of cowards.”

Girls Varsity soccer player Taylor Menk has the belief that Wambach just “wants to look good in front of the press and stay on the federation’s good side.”  Taylor also said, “I guess that shows how Abby and Hope didn’t have a solid relationship.”

However, Taylor thinks that Solo should not have been fired.  She said that “Hope was in the heat of the moment when she made those statements about the Swedish women.”

Taylor does believe that Solo could have been fired earlier for her domestic violence case, but agreed with Ariana when she said that firing her after the fact over just a few words after a “tough loss” was inappropriate.

Varsity soccer coach Matt Tracy has an opinion different than that of Taylor.  He said, “I don’t know that Hope should have been fired, but I definitely support a lengthy suspension.  As a player on the U.S. National Team, she represents more than herself and there are character standards that should be part of her job.”

Tracy also believes that “the lion’s share of her punishment should be through our legal system and not her job”.

Solo’s termination was met with both support and opposition, although it was not the people’s decision.  The U.S. Soccer Federation held that ultimate decision and made it with an iron fist.  After all of the inappropriate actions committed by Solo, the comments made about the Swedish was simply the last straw.