US Women’s Soccer Team to Contest Key Ruling
Credit – Pixabay / Flooy
The United States Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT) have recently indicated they intend to appeal their case for equal pay after their original claim was dismissed by a court judge.
The team were reported to be shocked and disappointed after their recent claim was dismissed by Judge Gary Klausner, who ruled that the pay aspect of their case did not warrant a trial. They will get a court date for a separate section of their claim, around unfair treatment for travel, housing and medical support, although NPR reports a claim of unequal working conditions concerning the use of artificial turf and real grass pitches was also dismissed.
The crux of the argument has always been around equal pay, which has been a celebrated cause the world over. They filed their original claim prior to winning the 2019 World Cup, raising awareness of the plight of women’s football around the globe in doing so. However, Judge Klausner ruled the case did not need to go to trial based on the fact the women had been paid more per game than the United States men’s side (USMNT) over a four-year period.
What Judge Klausner did not factor in was the inherent success of the USWNT. Bwin Sports reveals that the USWNT are the most successful international side by some margin, winning twice as many World Cups as their closest rivals, Germany. Of the eight contested World Cup tournaments, they have won four, including two in the period examined by the court. That success meant that between 2015 and 2019, members of the USWNT were paid an average of $220,747 per game. In the same period, the USMNT was ‘only’ paid $212,639 per game.
However, the USMNT did not qualify for Russia 2018, and they have only emerged from the group stages of the competition on three occasions in 64 years. Their best-ever finish was third in the inaugural tournament back in 1930, long before it became the showcase of world football. Indeed, had the USMNT had the same success as their female counterparts and won the last World Cup, they would have netted a $9.375 million bonus, pushing their pay way ahead.
That means Texas-born Kelly Schmedes, as well as recent USWNT call-ups Jane Campbell and Kristie Mewis of Houston Dash, have just cause for continuing their fight through the courts. Any appeal cannot be heard until after the claims for unequal treatment have been heard though, pushing the timescale for any appeal towards the end of the year.
Judge Klausner did feel there was a case to answer over the treatment of the players when it came to flights and accommodation warranting a trial. The USWNT argued, successfully, that they have been put on commercial flights whilst the USMNT have had charted flights, and they also receive inferior medical support and accommodation. That constitutes a claim of discriminatory working conditions, which has been approved by the judge for a jury trial.
It is not the result the USWNT wanted, and results are what they usually get. Whilst they are undoubtedly the best women’s team on the pitch, they are also fighting a case which could have repercussions worldwide as the women’s game strives to improve and grow. That means whilst Judge Klausner may have eased them to defeat in the first battle, the war is still very much ongoing.