Five Soccer players’ wage discrimination suit is a disappointing move, according to U.S. Soccer. The professional players and reigning World Cup champions said in their lawsuit that they are a driving force for the organization and, therefore, should be paid the same amount as their male counterpart.
Five soccer players have filed a wage discrimination suit against U.S. Soccer, the governing body for the sport in America. On Thursday, Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Hope Solo, all members of the United States women’s national soccer team and the reigning World Cup and Olympic champions, have filed a federal complaint asking that U.S. Soccer be investigated for wage discrimination.
While only five names appeared in the filing, the women said they were acting on behalf of the entire women’s team. The paperwork was filed by the players’ attorney, Jeffrey Kessler, to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the federal agency that enforces civil rights laws against workplace discrimination.
In the suit, the players say that they have been treated unfairly by U.S. Soccer for years, and they are taking a stand for the organization to change. According to the documents, a top female soccer player is paid about $72,000 a year along with bonuses to play in a minimum of 20 exhibitions whereas a male player gets four times more.
Kessler went on to reveal that when a female player scores a goal she gets an extra $30,000 while a man is paid $68,750. Kessler said it is unacceptable for the female players to be getting paid 40% of what male players are making. He said:
“This is the strongest case of discrimination against women athletes in violation of law that I have ever seen,”
He also shared:
“The reality is that this team is more valuable to the USSF than the men’s team has been. That’s what the facts show. And they would be justified in asking for more than the men are receiving. But the first step that they are seeking is equal treatment. That should be an easy step for the USSF to take.”
Lloyd, the 2015 FIFA Player of the Year, said on the Today show:
“I think the timing is right. I think that we’ve proven our worth over the years. Just coming off of a World Cup win, the pay disparity between the men and women is just too large. And we want to continue to fight.”
Solo added:
“We believe now the time is right because we believe it’s a responsibility for women’s sports, specifically women’s soccer, to really do whatever it takes for equal pay and equal rights and to be treated with respect.”
U.S. Soccer responded with a statement saying that they are disappointed by the suit, and added:
“We’re disappointed about this action. We’ve been a world leader in women’s soccer and are proud of the commitment we’ve made to building the women’s game in the United States over the past 30 years.”
Many are now wondering, is there wage discrimination going on in American teams? A male player like Robbie Keane gets $4 million from the LA Galaxy, and Clint Dempsey makes $3.9 million with the Seattle Sounders per year. How much is the Houston Dash paying legendary player Carli Lloyd for her awesomeness on the field? It is estimated at less than $100,000.
