USWNT star Megan Rapinoe has hit out at U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) and their president Carlos Cordeiro as they issued a hastily-arranged apology to the U.S. women’s national team.
She’s not buying it.
[ MORE: Premier League schedule ]
Cordeiro issued an apology on Wednesday after a court filing disparaged female athletes and called the World Cup champions an inferior squad to the men’s national team. The filing also claimed that the women have it easier because fierce away crowds are tougher on the men. Multiple major sponsors, including Coca-Cola, issued statements condemning the language in the court filing and supporting the USWNT.
Rapinoe, 34, scored a superb free kick as the USWNT beat Japan 3-1 on Wednesday to win a third SheBelievesCup and speaking to the media after the game and following Cordeiro’s apology, Rapinoe wasn’t best pleased with the conduct of the USSF.
“We don’t buy it....That wasn’t for us. That was for fans, media, sponsors...” Rapinoe said. “Every negotiation we’ve had, those undertones are in there that we’re lesser. Every mediation session that we had, any time we meet with them and obviously the reason we filed this lawsuit. So for him to put that out saying sorry, presuming it’s for us, we don’t buy it. That wasn’t for us at all, that was for everybody else.”
The USWNT warmed up for Wednesday’s match with their uniform tops inside out, hiding the badge of the federation, and took its Starting XI photo as an entire squad.
Cordeiro’s apology came after details were released of a court filing as the USSF and USWNT are locked in an equal pay lawsuit, with the blame put at the foot of the USSF lawyers.
Lawyers for the USWNT want $66 million in damages and Cordeiro finished his statement by saying “we will continue to work to resolve this suit in the best interest of everyone involved.”
It is safe to say the language used by the USSF lawyers will not help at all when it comes to getting this situation resolved and the USWNT now have even more backing outside of the courtroom.