If you follow sports in the slightest you've probably heard about Hope Solo's six-month suspension and contract termination from the US Women's National soccer team (USWNT). This all comes after Solo expressed distaste in Sweden's style of play after being knocked out of the quarter-finals of the recent Olympic games in Rio. Solo referred to them as " a bunch of cowards" because of the way they packed the box throughout extra time in order to hold off the USWNT and force PKs, where they would go on to win. The U.S. Soccer Federation cites these comments as a violation of their code of conduct and not coinciding with the values of the Federation, which resulted in this lengthy ban; however, there are a lot of interesting aspects to this ban that can be looked at through several different lenses.

One way to look at this situation is simply by the extent of the ban. Of course, Solo's comments were out of line and unsportsmanlike, but a six-month ban on top of a contract termination seems a little hefty for what in the end can be considered just trash talk. Especially if you look at the double standard that exists. Countless male athletes, especially NFL and NBA players, have been known to talk trash about their opponents to the media and for the most part they are barely given a slap on the wrist. Not one has been given a punishment like Solo was given. Solo, like any athlete after a frustrating loss, was heated and upset and although what she said was not right, is a six-month ban really appropriate when maybe a fine or couple-game suspension would've sufficed? Football players like Josh Norman, who recently even launched an attack against the commissioner of the NFL, referring to him as a "dog in a suit," can trash talk about other players from the other teams without any consequence. We see it countless times in the NFL especially, and most of the time it's used as a marketing tool to attract more viewers for games. In the MMA, the trash talk is what makes the fights entertaining and drives people to pay in order to watch the pay-per-view match-ups. Certainly trash talk is one of the allures of sports, so many fans live for the rivalries and bad blood between players and teams, but why can male athletes get away with it while female athletes seem to be condemned for it?

Another interesting aspect of Solo's suspension is the convenient timing of it all. This ban comes virtually when the USWNT has no major upcoming tournament in the next year. They won the World Cup in 2015, the Olympics have just passed for 2016 and their next major long-term focus would be the 2019 World Cup. There will be the World Cup Qualifying in between, but fairing without Hope Solo will not be a problem for these matches. The timing is especially convenient because back in 2014 and 2015, when Solo was facing domestic abuse allegations and federation scrutiny after she and her husband were caught drunk-driving with a US Soccer vehicle, Solo faced barely any suspension. But it can't just be a coincidence that during that time not only was the USWNT preparing for a World Cup in which they were favorites to win, but also working to qualify for the recent 2016 Olympics. Hope Solo has been the USWNT's number one keeper for quite some time and playing in those important matches without her definitely would not have been in the best interest of the team. Therefore, the US Soccer conveniently turned a blind eye to it all, until now. Hope Solo's recent actions simply prompted the federation to give her the ban she should've received a year-and-a-half ago when it would be less detrimental to the success of the team. Solo gave them the opportunity and they took it in full, especially during a time where Solo is also a part of the lawsuit for equal pay against US Soccer. The timing of all of this seems very convenient for the federation. Everything seems to work out in their favor. Because certainly just a few off-color comments after a match should not result in a six-month ban and contract termination; it has to be a culmination of things.

Another intriguing take on Solo's situation is how the media handled it all, particularly compared to the Ryan Lochte situation that was happening at the same time. When Hope Solo made those comments the media ate it all up. People all over social media were quick to criticize her and say terrible things about her. Most did not even take into consideration the factors that were at play and the situation in which she was interviewed, but they instead criticized her to the max and even began to take shots at her successes as a goalkeeper. Maybe with her past issues in context some of it was warranted, but jumping in on the Hope Solo hate become an everlasting trend in the media. Meanwhile, Ryan Lochte, the Olympic swimmer who lied about being robbed in Rio after drunkenly vandalizing a gas station, seemed to be sheltered in the media. He was often referred to a "kid who made a mistake," even though he's actually 32 years old. People went out of their way to make excuses for him claiming that he "just has to grow up" or that his mistake shouldn't take away from any of his success. While that aspect is correct, these were the same people who decided to shoot down Solo as an athlete after hearing her comments. So, why does this double standard exist in the media and on social media platforms? This is especially vexing because one talked some trash about an opponent and one caused an international incident and actually broke laws, but the treatment they received based on the actions they took seemed kind of backwards.

The Hope Solo saga has been an interesting aspect in the world of sports in the past couple of weeks. And while in no way were Solo's comments acceptable, the punishment she received is certainly not appropriate for just those actions alone. There are certainly aspects about this situation that can be observed from a much deeper lens. The events surrounding Solo can really bring up questions about the double standards that exist in sports, and in the media and on social media platforms, along with the inner workings of US Soccer and the way their disciplinary committee works for their own interest and not necessarily for the interest in upholding the code of conduct.