US women protest soccer federation's gender discrimination by hiding logo

USWNT decided to wear practice jerseys inside-out, hiding the logo of the country’s soccer federation. Only four stars, standing for their World Cup victories, were visible.


Members of the American women's soccer team wore their warm-up jerseys inside-out, hiding the US Soccer Federation (USSF) logo, as they stepped out for their match against Japan on Wednesday night.

The message was clear. This was a sign of protest against the USSF, which filed a claim that the women's team was less skilled and had a less demanding job than the men's team.

Read more: US men's soccer team express solidarity with women

The United States Women's National Team (USWNT) has filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against the federation over a difference in compensation offered to the women's team and the men's team.

When worn inside-out, the jerseys hide the logo of the federation, showcasing only four stars. Notably, these stars stand for the number of times that the women's team has won the World Cup — something the men's team, which did not qualify for the 2018 World Cup — have never done.

US women's soccer team cheered by fans in New York

The president of the USSF, Carlos Cordeiro, apologized for the language used in the court filing, which said that the men had more responsibility as that job "requires a higher level of skill, based on speed and strength."

"I sincerely apologize for the offense and pain caused by language in this week's court filing, which did not reflect the values of our federation," he said in a statement amid rising criticism.

With a 3-1 victory over Japan, the USWNT lifted the SheBelieves Cup, a preparatory tournament ahead of the Olympics in Tokyo this year.

see/rc (AP, Reuters)

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How to close the gender pay gap in professional soccer

Date 12.03.2020
Related Subjects Olympic Games, Gender equality, FIFA World Cup 2018, Bundesliga Latest, Europa League
Keywords US Women's National Soccer Team, gender equality, soccer, World Cup, Olympics
Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/3ZG9B