Julie Ertz of the U.S. women's soccer team gets congratulated on her goal during the SheBelieves Cup against Spain on March 8 in Harrison, New Jersey. Photo: Ira L. Black/Corbis via Getty Images
The U.S. women's soccer team's claim that they had long been underpaid was rejected by a federal judge on Friday, after the players accused the Soccer Federation of "institutionalized gender discrimination" last year.
What's next: The team plans to appeal the decision, a spokesperson for the team told the New York Times on Friday. A trial on their claims of unfair treatment in travel and staffing is scheduled to start on June 16, per the Times.
What they're saying: "We are shocked and disappointed with today's decision, but we will not give up our hard work for equal pay. We are confident in our case and steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that girls and women will not be valued as lesser just because of their gender," Molly Levinson, a spokesperson for the players, wrote on Twitter on Friday.
- The U.S. Soccer Federation said Friday in a statement to the Times: “We look forward to working with the women’s national team to chart a positive path forward to grow the game both here at home and around the world. U.S. Soccer has long been the world leader for the women’s game on and off the field, and we are committed to continuing that work to ensure our women’s national team remains the best in the world and sets the standard for women’s soccer.”
Go deeper: U.S. Soccer says women's national team paid more than the men's side