US Women's Soccer: Unfair Remuneration and Discrimination - Essay Sample

Introduction

Inequality and discrimination are some of the biggest challenges that women have been experiencing globally when put on the same scale with their male counterparts in the society. Women are often subjected to unfair remuneration conditions in most work places while males receive more favors even when they are executing similar tasks like women. Sometimes, women are more productive in their activities but, still get less recognition than men. The paper analyzes the article 'US Women's Soccer Team Stars Allege Pay Discrimination; Complaint says players earn a fraction of their male counterparts despite superior achievements,' to show how women are facing discrimination despite of their immense contribution in development.

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In its introduction, the article reveals how the U.S women's national soccer team, currently featuring among the top five teams in the world is accusing the government for sidelining female players in payment. According to its representatives, the team is keen on how the how the government through the US's soccer federation is underpaying them in spite of the commitment and numerous efforts that the players have put in place to achieve best results. There is a big disparity when comparing the payments that male and female players receive in the United States. For instance, the article reveals that female players get only 38% in relation to that of men. The federation seems to have overlooked the fact that the female players have played pivotal role ensuring that women's soccer team is recognized globally. The team led by veteran players launched a complaint with the United States' Equal Employment opportunity seeking to have a better collective bargaining agreement that will take their needs into consideration once the current one expires.

On the other hand, the soccer Federation termed the grievances of the women's soccer team as unrealistic. According to the federation, the women's arguments that the team qualifies and wins higher tournament is not enough to push their salaries and bonuses to be at par with those of men. Although men's soccer team has not been participating in bigger tournaments and winning more trophies, it still earns the government more revenue compared to that generated by women's soccer team. For instance, the US soccer estimates that between April 2016 and March 2017, the women's soccer team could have earned the government $17.6 million worth of income after playing 27 matches while men's soccer team could have generated an estimated $9 million after only 12 matches. The leaders have argued that the higher revenues that men's soccer team generates facilitates their higher salaries and bonuses. The soccer leaders have pledged their support for women's soccer team but, have also noted that their demands are not substantial because their payment cannot be equal to that of men.

Outside the US, women also seem to be facing discrimination in the world of soccer. The winners of the world women's world cup received $2 million while Germany's men soccer team took home $35 million when it won the world cup in 2014. The article also notes that in the period between 1995 and 1998, women players received $2000 monthly while the male participants of the 1998 world cup were paid as high as $55,000 per game. Women participants of the 1999 world cup were paid only $15,000 per game.

Conclusion

From the article, it is clear that discrimination and unequal pay are the major challenges that the US's women soccer team is facing. Although they are putting much effort to lift the global name of the US in women's soccer, their pay remains low and demotivating. Women are also experiencing the same problem in other regions outside the United States. Soccer federations of different countries together with FIFA need to relook into the issue of paying women soccer players and address the inequalities.