Hillary Clinton tweets support for USWNT wage complaint

Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton joins a growing list of celebrities to give their support to the U.S. Women’s national team in its wage discrimination dispute against U.S. Soccer, saying that men and women deserve equal pay.

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Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton joins a growing list of celebrities to give their support to the U.S. Women’s national team in its wage discrimination dispute against U.S. Soccer, saying that men and women deserve equal pay.

After the news that Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan, Hope Solo, Megan Rapinoe and Becky Sauerbrunn had filed a federal complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Clinton tweeted a message backing the team.

“Wouldn’t want to face these women on the field or in the courtroom. Every woman deserves equal pay,” Clinton said. 

• Landon Donovan: USWNT ‘deserve to be treated fairly in all ways’

Wouldn’t want to face these women on the field or in the courtroom. Every woman deserves equal pay. https://t.co/RBuAFtgpDS

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) March 31, 2016

The federal complaint accuses U.S. Soccer of discriminating against the women’s team in regards to pay compared to the men’s team. The complaint states that the women are paid nearly four times less than their male counterparts, despite being more successful and bringing in $20 million more in revenue than the men did in 2015.

• Tim Howard: We understand and appreciate the USWNT's fight

On Thursday, U.S. Soccer released a statement responding to the complaint:

“Our efforts to be advocates for women's soccer are unwavering. For 30 years, we have been a world leader in promoting the women's game and are proud of the long-standing commitment we have made to building women's soccer in the United States and furthering opportunities in soccer for young women and girls around the world. This includes leading the successful campaign to introduce women's soccer in the Olympics in 1996, the inclusion of prize money for the Women's World Cup, and the establishment and support of the National Women's Soccer League, which is now in its fourth year of play.

We are committed to and engaged in negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement that addresses compensation with the Women's National Team Players Association, to take effect when the current CBA expires at the end of this year. U.S. Soccer will continue to be an advocate on the global soccer stage to influence and develop the women's game and evolve FIFA's compensation model.”