Members of the US women’s national football team Friday sued the US Soccer Federation, alleging that the sport’s governing body engaged in” purposeful sex discrimination” by failing to provide payments and resources comparable to the far less successful men’s team.

” Despite the fact that these female and male participates are called upon to perform the same job responsibilities on their squads and are enrolled in international competitions for their single common supervisor, the USSF, the girl participates have been consistently paid less fund than their male counterparts ,” attorneys for the players wrote in the lawsuit.” This is true even though their accomplishment has been superior to that of the male players–with the female musicians, in contrast to male participates, becoming macrocosm champions .”

In 2016, five members of the women’s national team filed a federal grumble with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging wage discrimination. But the complaint didn’t get resolved, opening the door for high-profile members of the women’s national squad, like Carli Lloyd and Megan Rapinoe, to produce the example to federal court.

In 2017, after a continue proletariat contravention, the women’s national team reached a collective agreement with the USSF that hugely created players’ locate compensation and game bonuses, paired per diem stipends with their counterparts on the men’s national crew, and improved financial aid for musicians who are pregnant or endorse. In the lawsuit, players claimed that the soccer federation” rejected requests” for” at least equal bribe” to their male counterparts under the brand-new contract and alleged that a confederacy representative once like to remind you that” grocery worlds are such that the women do not deserve to be paid equally to the men .”

After the US women’s team affirmed study status during a game in 2015, Hope Solo–who at the time was the team’s goalkeeper–told Mother Jones that the compensate arrangement was unjust.” The proof is, well, dames should not was paid as much as soldiers, because they don’t bring in as much revenue. We hear it all the time. Our contention back is that we have the most wonderful ratings between the men’s unit and the women’s crew, and had we gotten more marketing dollars, we would have more ticket revenue ,” Solo told Mother Jones.” When we push for equality, we don’t want the exact same thing. We time miss it more balanced .”

The lawsuit comes at a time when wage equity in professional athletics is under investigation. Back in March 2017, the US women’s hockey team threatened to boycott the nations of the world championships and came to a deal with USA Hockey that included parent actor compensation to at the least $70,000. Last-place November, Women’s National Basketball Association participates opted to terminate their collective bargaining agreement in their pursuit of higher offer and more efficient working conditions.

Read more: motherjones.com