In the end, Hope Solo has been women’s soccer problematic fave for years. Some criticism aimed at her is absolutely justified, and the fact that she was never properly held accountable for the domestic violence incident is a black stain on the sport. But there’s always been a rather ugly undercurrent to some of the antagonism she faces. Lest we forget, her complaints in 2010 that rival fans were hurling racist abuse at her teammates went unaddressed, but a snarky comment about referees and the league she played in at the time earned her a fine and a suspension.

Whatever the reason, and whatever you may think of Hope Solo, this is a suspicious and ignominious way to potentially end the career of one of the most accomplished goalkeepers in the history of the sport. Of any gender. There are many who support the suspension decision to suspend her, and it’s worth asking those people whether they really believe that “cowards” remark is really worth six months on the shelf and possibly the end of a career, or if they’re just glad they finally got to nail her for something.

Read the full article at Paste Magazine.