Sports

Every Player On U.S. Women’s Soccer Team Has Sued For Equal Pay

(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

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Every member of the U.S. women’s national soccer team filed a gender discrimination lawsuit Friday against the United States Soccer Federation.

The women have been fighting for equal pay since it came out that they were paid significantly less than the men’s soccer team despite their prominence. The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court in Los Angeles, according to The New York Times.

The players say the issues described in the lawsuit stem from “institutionalized gender discrimination.” (RELATED: U.S. Soccer To Honor Ruth Bader Ginsburg)

They are requesting back pay, damages and other relief for any current or former team member dating back to Feb. 5, 2015. If the lawsuit is successful, the reward could end up being in the millions.

In the lawsuit, the women argue that they are required to play more games than the men and still don’t get paid as much. They also state that they win more than the men’s team.

Not only does the discrimination affect their salary, it affects the way they travel, how they train, their coaching, and medical treatment, according to the players.

The pay structure for both branches of U.S. Soccer is different. The men are not paid a guaranteed salary and are only paid when they make the team, according to The New York Times, and the women have base salaries that are supplemented by match bonuses.

The filing of the new lawsuit ended a complaint filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission by five players in 2016.