WASHINGTON (Bywire News) - On Monday, it was announced that the U.S. women's national soccer team will be able to move forward with their appeal for equal pay. The news came after a judge sanctioned a settlement between the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) and the female players over the state of working conditions.
The governing body of the women's soccer team was sued by the players back in 2019, following a series of accusations regarding gender discrimination, alongside most other working conditions. Just months after the allegations, the women's team won their fourth World Cup, while their fans chanted "equal pay".
Last year, claims that women were underpaid in comparison to their male counterparts were dismissed by Judge R. Gary Klausner of the United States District Court for the Central District of California. The same judge just weeks later refused the female player's bid to appeal while they waited for the working conditions to be improved.
A spokeswoman for the team, Molly Levinson, revealed their plans to appeal judge Klausner's ruling on equal pay. The move comes after the judge finally agreed to grant the approval to better working conditions, including the overall playing conditions and travel.
"We are committed as ever to our work to achieve the equal pay that we legally deserve and our focus is on the future and ensuring we leave the game a better place for the next generation of women who will play for this team and our country," said Levinson.
The USSF, known as U.S. Soccer, said in a statement that the women's team did not agree to meeting until the federation "agrees to make up the difference" in prize money awarded by FIFA, the soccer world governing body, at the women's and men's World Cup.
U.S. Soccer said, "We remain hopeful that we can come to a resolution outside of the court system."
They added, "We have offered the USWNT the identical compensation provided to our men’s players for all matches controlled by U.S. Soccer."
On Tuesday, the U.S. women's team will play a friendly game with France, in preparation for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery and Klaudia Fior; Editing by Ken Ferris)