Jillian Loyden Requests Hope Solo Be Benched for Domestic Violence Charges

Hope Solo has been in the news for very different reasons of late. On the field, she just set the record for the most shutouts in the history of the United States women's national team. Off the field, she will be going to trial in November after being charged with two counts of misdemeanor domestic violence from allegedly assaulting her sister and 17-year-old nephew.    

Now, former USWNT teammate Jillian Loyden—who also announced her retirement from the team Monday—has publicly declared that the USWNT should bench Solo while she awaits trial in a piece for USA Today entitled "Bench Hope Solo."

Here is an excerpt from Loyden's article:

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U.S. Soccer must be the gold standard beyond the field as well. I believe that individuals are innocent until proven guilty, but in failing to take action against players' behavior off the field, the league is not living up to its responsibilities.

U.S. Soccer needs to send the right message. They need to communicate that domestic violence is never okay and that it will not be tolerated.

Speaking out on these issues is not always easy. Hope Solo is my teammate and a personal mentor. But I cannot stand by as young fans receive the message that this behavior—even if the allegations proved to be inaccurate—can go unnoticed.

A couple weeks ago, Hope broke an international record with an incredible 73 shutouts. But instead of celebrating the new record, the league should endeavor to post a shutout on domestic violence. Our league can no longer turn a blind eye to the allegations that Solo assaulted two family members.

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Loyden's sister Britton was murdered in 2012, allegedly by her former fiance who is awaiting trial, per her column.

Jane McManus of ESPN has more on Loyden's decision to comment publicly on this situation:

As Loyden notes in her piece, the sports world has been sent reeling from recent domestic abuse instances, namely the NFL. That the USWNT has not reacted by sitting Solo down pending the resolution of her legal troubles is an oversight and mistake, she suggests in her piece.

U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati previously said the federation will allow her to play until her legal matters have concluded.

Loyden's public declaration is also a departure from captain Christie Rampone's comments last week. She told 120 Sports that the team supported Solo and that she personally thought Solo was innocent. 

The Solo situation has certainly divided public opinion, with many feeling that athletes facing domestic abuse charges should not play until those legal cases are resolved. Others, however, believe they should be allowed to play until the legal system has run its course.

The conversation is likely to change now that one of Solo's former teammates has come out against her participation on the USWNT with her legal troubles pending. Public pressure for the federation to sit Solo could very well increase after Loyden's article.