Yahoo Finance U.S. Women's Soccer Team Appeals Equal Pay Ruling During Olympics, Claims Decision 'Defies Reality'
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The U.S. women's national soccer team is appealing a judge's decision to their equal pay lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation.
The appeal was filed Friday during the opening ceremony for the Tokyo Olympics, which the team did not attend, according to ESPN. It was also filed shortly before their second Olympic match against New Zealand on Saturday.
In the appeal, the USWNT's legal team claimed the decision was "legally wrong, and it defies reality" and requested the appellate court "reverse the decision of the district court and remand the case for trial," per the outlet. In their appeal, the team also accuses the court of treating the woman as though their collective-bargaining agreements are "somehow waiving their equal pay rights" and discounting their "direct evidence of discrimination."
"In effect, the court held that pay is equal if a woman can obtain the same amount of money as a man by working more and performing better," the appeal said, according to The Athletic. "That is not the law."
In a statement, U.S. Soccer wrote that they are "committed to equal pay and to ensuring that our Women's National Team remains the best in the world."
"In ruling in favor of U.S. Soccer on the players' pay discrimination claims, the District Court rightly noted that the Women's National Team negotiated for a different pay structure than the Men's National Team, and correctly held that the Women's National Team was paid more both cumulatively and on an average per-game basis than the Men's National Team," the statement continued. "The focus today is on supporting the Women's National Team in their quest to win a fifth Olympic Gold Medal. Moving ahead, we will continue to seek a resolution to this matter outside of court so we can chart a positive path forward with the players to grow the game both here at home and around the world."
U.S. Soccer WNT/ twitter
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A judge dismissed the USWNT's case in May 2020 after U.S. Soccer showed the women had been paid more per game than the men's team, Sports Illustrated reported at the time According to the analysis, the men were paid $212,639 per game while the women were paid $220,747.
But the women are arguing that the judge did not consider how their performance enhances their pay rate.
"The court did not account for performance -- specifically, that the women had to be the best in the world to make about the same amount per game as the much less successful men," the appeal states.
Midfielder Samantha Mewis and winger Tobin Heath were among those to respond in wake of the filing.
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"To argue that women should have to work harder and achieve more in order to earn the same as men is simply wrong -- both morally and legally," midfielder Samantha Mewis said in a statement, according to ESPN. "We are pleased to be moving forward with the next phase of our lawsuit so that we can finally achieve what we -- and all women -- deserve: equality."
"There is nothing quite like entering a stadium and hearing thousands of our supporters vigorously chanting 'Equal Pay,'" winger Tobin Heath said in her own statement. "We enter this next phase of our legal fight with the same energy we bring to each of our matches."
Added star Megan Rapinoe: "We believe in our case and know our value. It's time the USSF does too."
Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty
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The USWNT is featured in the HBO Max documentary LFG, which follows their fight for equal pay. In an interview with PEOPLE at the Tribeca Film Festival in June, Rapinoe criticized the summary judgment that struck down part of the lawsuit.
"I just will never not be shocked by the summary judgment," the 35-year-old told PEOPLE. "I'll never not be shocked by the things that they say. I'll never not be shocked by the positions that they've taken."
She added: "It always hurts really to have, you know, not just anybody say that about you, but to have someone who sees you so up close all the time and understands all the work that you put in."
