Democratic nominee for US president, Joe Biden, is backing the US Women’s National Soccer Team’s (USWNT’s) equal pay drive embarked upon by players despite an unfavourable court ruling last week.
He has urged them to not “give up this fight”.
“This is not over yet,” Biden said.
“To US Soccer: equal pay, now. Or else when I’m president, you can go elsewhere for World Cup funding,” he added.
The bid by the USWNT to earn equal pay with their male counterparts suffered a huge blow after claims that they were underpaid was dismissed by a federal court. The judge rejected the players’ position.
Twenty-eight Women’s National Team players filed a lawsuit in 2019 against the US Soccer Federation (USSF), seeking 66 million US dollars in damages under the Equal Pay Act.
Spokesperson for the players, Molly Levinson has since revealed that they planned to appeal against the decision.
“We are shocked and disappointed,” said Levinson.
“We will not give up our hard work for equal pay.
“We are confident in our case and steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that girls and women who play this sport will not be valued as lesser just because of their gender,” she stated.
Federal judge Gary Klausner, however did allow the players’ case for unfair treatment in travel, housing and medical support to go to trial, which is set for 16 June in Los Angeles.
Giving its ruling, the court said: “The women’s team has been paid more on both a cumulative and an average per-game basis than the men’s team over the class period.”
The US team won the Women’s World Cup last summer for their fourth title overall.
They have also won five Olympic gold medals.
