4 yıl önce

Gender pay gap: US football star Rapinoe renews call for equity

Megan Rapinoe tells a US House committee that the female World Cup winners have exceeded the accomplishments of their male counterparts, yet received inadequate compensation and playing conditions.

Reuters

In this June 28, 2019 file photo, Megan Rapinoe of the US celebrates scoring their first goal during the France v United States game during the Women's World Cup Quarter Final at Parc des Princes, Paris, France.

US women's national football team star Megan Rapinoe has renewed her call for gender pay equity, appearing before a congressional panel and pledging to "carry this torch" alongside her teammates.

Rapinoe told on Wednesday the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, the World Cup winners had exceeded the accomplishments of their male counterparts but received inadequate compensation and playing conditions, two years after she and her teammates filed a landmark gender discrimination lawsuit against US Soccer.

"There is no level of status, accomplishments, or power that will protect you from the clutches of inequity," Rapinoe said in her written testimony in honour of Equal Pay Day.

"The women's national team has won four World Cup championships and four Olympic gold medals on behalf of our country. We have filled stadiums, broken viewing records, and sold out jerseys, all popular metrics by which we are judged."

Lawsuit over wages

US Soccer, which argued in 2019 that the women's team had been compensated more than the men's over the last decade, said it applauded Rapinoe's position as a "champion for equal pay."

"My hope is the players will accept our standing invitation to meet and find a path forward that serves the women’s team now and in the future," US Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone said in a written statement. "We, too, are committed to equal pay."

The US women's national team players sued their governing body in 2019, alleging gender discrimination in a lawsuit that contained complaints over wages and playing conditions.

The complaint loomed large as the team went on claim their fourth World Cup title in France that summer, and fans backed them up, chanting "equal pay" during the World Cup final match.

In May 2020, a United States District Court judge for the Central District of California threw out players' claims that they were underpaid in comparison with the men's team.

The players and US Soccer reached a settlement in December over working conditions, including hotel and travel accommodations, clearing a path for an appeal over equal pay.

"We put in just as much work, we train just as hard. We compete to bring trophies back to the United States, bring gold medals back to the United States," said Rapinoe.

The women's team is set to compete in the upcoming Olympics, though the roster has not been set.

Rapinoe won the Golden Boot and Golden Ball at the US team's successful 2019 World Cup, en route to claiming the Ballon d'Or and Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year honors, in a defining year in which she harnessed her celebrity to tackle political issues.

President Joe Biden is expected to host an event with Rapinoe, teammate Margaret Purce and other players later Wednesday.