The very successful female national team of the United States is complaining of unfair treatment. The team which has won four trophies, three FIFA World Cups and an Olympic championship is accusing US Soccer the body governing American sports, of disparity in treatment.
This week, women in the team filed a complaint accusing the governing body of wage discrimination. The women complained of earning about two-fifth of what the male players earn in the United States national team. They complained that this continued despite winning another world championship last year.
The players complaining were some of the most prominent women athletes in sports worldwide. They claimed obvious disparity ranging bonus payments, appearance fees to per diems. The federal complaint was submitted to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
The commission is the body responsible for enforcing civil rights laws against workplace discrimination in America. The commission has taken up the case of financial contrasts in gender payments in basketball tournament. Also, a female tennis athlete recently resigned after accusing the body in charge for making women “ride on the coattails of the men.”
Hope Solo, one of the five women who signed the complaint said: “The numbers speak for themselves. We are the best in the world, have three World Cup championships, four Olympic championships, and the U.S.M.N.T. get paid more to just show up than we get paid to win major championships.”
The regulatory body, US Soccer frowned at the complaint by the group of female soccer players. The group aside Hope consisted of the national team co-captains Carli Lloyd and Becky Sauerbrunn and team-mates, Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan.
US Soccer in the statement mentioned the role it has played in pushing for women soccer development in United States. It also listed the effort to offer full time salaries to top players representing the nation. It also added that it was ready to discuss compensation as part of talks.