The World Cup champion U.S. women’s soccer team is vowing to fight on after a judge dismissed key parts of their lawsuit seeking compensation equal to that of their male counterparts.
The U.S. women filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in March 2019, months after the U.S. men’s soccer team failed to qualify for the World Cup in 2018.
Federal Judge R. Gary Klausner rejected the women’s team’s argument over receiving lower pay than the U.S. men’s team. He also dismissed a claim of unequal working conditions related to the number of turf and real grass pitches. While the judge did allow other claims in the lawsuit to move forward to trial, for the women who won the hearts of the nation with a romp to the World Cup title last year, the ruling is a major blow.
“We are shocked and disappointed with today’s decision, but we will not give up our hard work for equal pay,” Molly Levinson, spokesperson for the players, said in a statement.
Team co-captain Megan Rapinoe tweeted: “We will never stop fighting for EQUALITY.”