Mediation talks break down between U.S. Soccer Federation and U.S. women's team
Mediation talks between the U.S. Soccer Federation and the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team have broken down after their first day of discussions, according to a representative from the women's team.
"Today we must conclude these meetings sorely disappointed in the Federation's determination to perpetuate fundamentally discriminatory workplace conditions and behavior," the team said in a statement. "It is clear that USSF, including its board of directors and president Carlos Cordeiro, fully intend to continue to compensate women players less than men."
The women's team won its fourth World Cup championship in July but earned less than a quarter of what the U.S. men's team would have been paid for the same feat.
"We want all of our fans, sponsors, peers around the world and women everywhere to know we are undaunted and will eagerly look forward to a jury trial," the representative for the women's team said.
In response, U.S. Soccer issued a statement late Wednesday: "We have said numerous times that our goal is to find a resolution, and during mediation we had hoped we would be able to address the issues in a respectful manner and reach an agreement."
"Despite inflammatory statements from their spokesperson, which are intended to paint our actions inaccurately and unfairly, we are undaunted in our efforts to continue discussions in good faith," the statement added.
U.S. Soccer has said the women are paid less because their games typically bring in less revenue and lower ratings. But according to the federation's own financial reports, the women's team generated more total revenue than the men's team in the three years after the women's 2015 World Cup victory.
In March, stars Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe told "CBS This Morning" that U.S. Soccer was in a position to take "an incredibly bold stance" on equal pay.
"I think we've learned a lot through this process," Rapinoe said. "We've really come together as a group and been able to solidify our unity and our strength and really begun to understand the power of everyone being on the same page."
Jason Silverstein and Megan Cerullo contributed to this report.