"Well done, Megan Rapinoe et al" - Martina Navratilova congratulates US women's soccer players for reaching landmark agreement with governing body
Martina Navratilova took to Twitter on Tuesday to congratulate the U.S. Women's National Team (USWNT) for reaching a landmark agreement with the sport's governing body in the country. The deal brought an end to a six-year legal battle between both parties, and will assure women the same pay bonuses as men.
The USWNT had previously filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against the US Soccer Federation, seeking damages to the tune of $66 million. The agreement put an end to the original demands but brought in $22 million instead. Furthermore, the Federation agreed to establish a $2 million fund that will go towards helping professionals in their post-retirement careers as well as for other charitable purposes to help grow the sport among women.
The @USWNT has reached a landmark $24 million settlement with US Soccer, ending a six-year legal fight over equal pay. https://t.co/pq2TK06ZCr
Megan Rapinoe, arguably the most popular name in women's football in recent times, was one of the biggest proponents of the lawsuit that eventually led to the agreement. The midfielder spoke to reporters after the news broke, expressing her immense joy at "leaving the game in an exponentially better place" than when she found it.
"For our generation, knowing that we’re going to leave the game in an exponentially better place than when we found it is everything," Rapinoe told The Associated Press. “That’s what it’s all about because, to be honest, there is no justice in all of this if we don’t make sure it never happens again.”
Martina Navratilova took to Twitter to congratulate Rapinoe and the rest of the group on their achievement. The American noted that it was "about time" for women to close the wage gap after years of struggle.
"About time. Well done, Megan [Rapinoe] et al!!!" Navratilova tweeted.
About time, well done Megan et al!!! huffpost.com/entry/ap-soc-e…
Martina Navratilova has been advocating for equal pay in tennis as well
Under the co-ordinated efforts of the International Tennis Federation (ITF), all four Grand Slams now pay equal wages to women and men. But that has not always been the case.
The US Open became the first Slam to pay both women's and men's singles winners the same amount in 1973, after the legendary Billie Jean King threatened to boycott the tournament. The Australian Open followed suit in 2001 and the French Open in 2006.
Wimbledon did not relent until 2007, and conceded only after a powerfully-worded essay by seven-time Major winner Venus Williams accused them of "being on the wrong side of history." Williams went on to win the tournament that year and became the first female player in the tournament's history to make the same as the men's winner -- Roger Federer.
But despite all that, the wage gap very much exists in the sport. Other tournaments do not offer nearly the same pay for the two genders, citing that men's matches are a bigger draw and are therefore deserving of more pay. Indian Wells' former CEO Raymond Moore most infamously said players like Federer and Rafael Nadal had "carried the sport" and the WTA had merely ridden their coattails to success.
Among the many that criticized Moore for his inappropriate comments was Martina Navratilova, who rebuked him for perpetuating old-fashioned sentiments. The 18-time Grand Slam champion declared that women had only themselves to thank for their success in the sport, and that they will "continue to do so."
"It was really disheartening to see Ray Moore offer the extremely prejudiced and very old-fashioned statements regarding women tennis players,” Navratilova said. “We have made it this far on our own, without help from male players, and will continue to do so in the future."