Federal Judge R.
Gary Klausner has rejected some of the major claims that the US women’s national soccer team has brought up regarding equal payment. The women’s team said that they will continue to fight for what they believe is right.
The team filed the suit in early 2019 when the US men’s team failed to qualify for the 2018 Brazil World Cup. They had argued that the women were always paid less than their male colleagues even when the women have consistently outperformed the men.
The point was furthered hammered home when the women’s team defeated the Dutch women’s team at the 2019 Women’s World Cup. The entire arena was filled with chants of “Equal pay” as the players celebrated their fourth victory in history. In contrast, the best the men’s team did since the World Cup was expanded to 32 teams was qualify to the quarterfinals in 2006.
Judge Klausner rejected two of the main legal arguments that the women have put forth. Those arguments were that the the women’s team was getting paid in an unequal manner and that the women were forced to perform in inferior working conditions.
To the first argument, Klausner referred to the differences in the contracts. The judge reasoned that while the men’s team have signed a more incentive focused contract, the women’s team had given up those incentives in return for getting paid even when there were no games scheduled.
Klausner wrote that it is legally not possible for the women’s team to ask that they receive benefits for a contract that they didn’t sign although they were given the option to do so. Thus, the judge rejected the notion of a deliberately unequal payment.
Both the spokesperson and players of the team have expressed their disappointment with the decision. At the same time, they made it clear that they had no intentions to stop pushing for gender inequality. Spokesperson Molly Levinson said that all changes face obstacles and that she and the team will continue their fights.
The United States Soccer Federation said that they were looking forward to working with everyone. The federation is responsible for both the men and women’s team.
Remaining arguments in the case including alleged inequality in players’ accommodations are set to be held in June. Follow us on Facebook to keep yourself updated on this news!
Replaced!