Sport: Court Banished Claim of the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team’s Equal Pay

The U.S. women’s national soccer team (USWNT) is the most successful in international women’s soccer and currently the best women’s national soccer team, with CONCACAF Gold Cups, four Women’s World Cup titles, and four Olympic gold medals.

The World Cup champion, women’s soccer team of the United States, has vowed to fight on after the judge presiding on the case dismissed the central part of their lawsuit that seeks compensation of equality to that of their male counterparts.

The lawsuit seeking equal rights to that of their male counterpart was filed by 28 women of the United States’ women’s national team players against the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF).

However, the U.S. women’s soccer national team filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in March 2019, months after the U.S. men’s soccer team lost at the World Cup’s qualifiers in 2018.

The lawsuit asserted that the female players are not treated reasonably enough in their salary structure, even though their performances have been superior to that of the male players.

The U.S. women’s soccer team went on to win the 2019 tournament, dominating a 2-0 win over the Netherlands. The victory encouraged the support for their claim that they were undervalued.

In dismissing the USWNT’s claim that they are paid less for the same work, the judge said the women’s contract guarantees players will be paid regardless of whether they play or not, but the men are paid if they are called into camp to play and then participate in a match.
On this point, the Federal Judge, Klausner said, their claims were insufficient to establish a genuine dispute.

After Klausner’s ruling on Friday, Molly Levinson, the player’s spokeswoman, promised that the women “will appeal against the decision.”

“We are shocked and disappointed,” said Levinson. “We will not give up our hard work for equal pay.”

“We have learned that there are tremendous obstacles to change,” she said. “We know that it takes bravery and courage and perseverance to stand up to them.”

Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee for the U.S. presidential election, told the team not to give up the fight, adding: “This is not over yet.”

Striker Megan Rapinoe, who won the Golden Boot and Golden Ball tweeted: “We will never stop fighting for equality.”

Fellow U.S. striker Alex Morgan also said: “Although disappointing to hear the news, this will not discourage us in our fight for equality.”

However, the court has allowed other allegations of the women’s soccer national team’s unfair treatments in housing, travels, and medical supports to go to trial, which is set for 16 June in Los Angeles.