Video: Hope Solo breaks down after being cut from US Soccer – CBS News

Hope Solo’s emotional reaction to a six-month suspension and
her U.S. Soccer contract termination was recorded for all to see.

Solo was part of a documentary series called “Keeping Score,”
capturing the Olympic journey of some members of the U.S. women’s soccer team. That
meant crews were still on hand when Solo heard about her termination, reports Dana Jacobson of CBS Sports Network. 

The longtime U.S. goalkeeper let out her anger to her husband,
former NFL player Jerramy Stevens. Solo has announced she won’t play again this
year for her club team, the Seattle Reign.

“Mentally I am not there yet,” she explained in a statement. 

The documentary footage released Tuesday shows a distraught Hope
Solo moments after she learned U.S. Soccer officials’ decision.

“Terminated contract. Not just a suspension,” Solo is heard
saying in the video.

“How can they do both?” Stevens asks.

“It’s bull. Seventeen f****** years and
it’s over,” Solo says.

The U.S. Soccer Federation suspended
and terminated the 35-year-old’s
contract for calling the Swedish women’s soccer team “a bunch
of cowards” after
the Americans were bounced out of the Olympics in the quarterfinals.

“I said
it was a cowardly way to play and I’ve been killed in the media,” Solo said.

But Rich Nichols of the U.S. Women’s National Team Players Association said it’s a “larger issue than Hope.”

“It’s an issue that impacts this entire
team,” Nichols said. “Essentially, U.S. Soccer is telling
the team that, you know, we can control what you have to say. If we don’t like what you have to say, we can
fire you.”

Solo is no stranger to controversy. In 2015, she received a 30-day suspension
for her behavior during a drunk driving incident​ involving her husband. A year earlier, Solo was
arrested for allegedly assaulting​ two family members.

Solo isn’t the only American athlete to gain
negative attention in Rio, but is the only one to be punished. U.S. Swimming
has yet to announce a penalty for Olympian Ryan Lochte​, who lied​ about
being robbed at a Brazilian gas station earlier this month.

Seattle Times sports reporter Matt
Pentz said it is unfair to compare the two.

“I think
it’s just sort of comparing apples and oranges at this point,” Pentz said. “They’re just two very different situations. There’s different backgrounds, there’s different histories, two very
different governing bodies that are making the decision.”

CBS News reached out to U.S.
Swimming. They said they have no timeline for handing down any punishment for
Lochte.