More Conflict Surrounding The Olympics

The handing-out of Olympic medals is long over. The dishing-out of discipline is just getting underway.

There were plenty of incidents of ill behavior in Rio de Janeiro, including the arrest of Europe’s top Olympic official in a ticket-scalping scandal. But that’s just lawlessness, not bad sportsmanship.

So today’s villain is Hope Solo, the goalkeeper for the disappointing United States Women’s National team. The U.S. women’s soccer team lost a quarterfinals match to Sweden on penalty kicks and afterwards, the outspoken and often churlish Solo blasted the Swedes as “a bunch of cowards” for playing a defensive style that yielded a 1-1 tie before penalties.

That bunch of cowards ultimately won the silver medal and Solo on Wednesday got her reward – a six-month suspension from U.S. Soccer. The organization’s president, Sunil Gulati, called Solo’s comments “unacceptable.”

Added Gulati: “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.”

Hey, she’s not a first offender. She was suspended for 30 days in 2015 for conduct issues as well. And she had offended the host nation Brazil when she posted on social media a photo of herself wearing mosquito netting and carrying mosquito repellent. She was booed endlessly during matches.

So along with the swimmers who were robbed or not, who are contrite or not, we have Solo and her suspension.

Perhaps they should give tin medals at the games as well.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman