Australia’s elite female players stand in solidarity with the US national women’s team in the battle for gender equity in football.
Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) Player Relations Executive Kathryn Gill confirmed the support of the Matildas after it was announced that leading members of the US women’s team filed a federal complaint accusing the governing body of wage discrimination.
With players earning as little as 40 per cent of what their male counterparts earn in the US men’s team, Gill said the PFA’s Matildas members stood in solidarity with the current world champions in the battle for gender equity.
“There is a global awakening to bridging the gap between men and women’s pay, and the world’s female footballers are leading the way,” said Gill.
“True parity can only be achieved through a cultural shift. What has become increasingly evident is that, despite progress, this shift is still some way from occurring with players continually having to take more extreme courses of action to bridge what is simply an unacceptable divide.
“Whilst it is often mentioned that the women’s game presents a significant opportunity for the game, ensuring that female players are treated with fairness and respect is an obligation not an option.
“The excuse of a lack of interest from both fans and the commercial sector can no longer be accepted. The 2015 FIFA World Cup proved that the appetite for the game around the globe is enormous and the sport has a responsibility to lead society on this issue.”
Matildas Co-captain and PFA Matildas Committee Member Clare Polkinghorne said the action taken by US women’s team had their full support.
“The US women’s team stood with us during our battle for fairness and we now stand with them,” said Polkinghorne. “This is not about repaying the favour but doing what is right for the game and the players.
“Sport has the power to play a transformative role for society and it must be seized. We can no longer accept the same excuses.”
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