The USWNT had previously filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against the US Soccer Federation, seeking damages to the tune of $66 million. The agreement put an end to the original demands but brought in $22 million instead. Furthermore, the Federation agreed to establish a $2 million fund that will go towards helping professionals in their post-retirement careers as well as for other charitable purposes to help grow the sport among women.

Megan Rapinoe, arguably the most popular name in women’s football in recent times, was one of the biggest proponents of the lawsuit that eventually led to the agreement. The midfielder spoke to reporters after the news broke, expressing her immense joy at “leaving the game in an exponentially better place” than when she found it.

Martina Navratilova took to Twitter to congratulate Rapinoe and the rest of the group on their achievement. The American noted that it was “about time” for women to close the wage gap after years of struggle.

Martina Navratilova has been advocating for equal pay in tennis as well

Under the co-ordinated efforts of the International Tennis Federation (ITF), all four Grand Slams now pay equal wages to women and men. But that has not always been the case.

The US Open became the first Slam to pay both women’s and men’s singles winners the same amount in 1973, after the legendary Billie Jean King threatened to boycott the tournament. The Australian Open followed suit in 2001 and the French Open in 2006.

Wimbledon did not relent until 2007, and conceded only after a powerfully-worded essay by seven-time Major winner Venus Williams accused them of “being on the wrong side of history.” Williams went on to win the tournament that year and became the first female player in the tournament’s history to make the same as the men’s winner – Roger Federer.

But despite all that, the wage gap very much exists in the sport. Other tournaments do not offer nearly the same pay for the two genders, citing that men’s matches are a bigger draw and are therefore deserving of more pay. Indian Wells’ former CEO Raymond Moore most infamously said players like Federer and Rafael Nadal had “carried the sport” and the WTA had merely ridden their coattails to success.

Among the many that criticized Moore for his inappropriate comments was Martina Navratilova, who rebuked him for perpetuating old-fashioned sentiments. The 18-time Grand Slam champion declared that women had only themselves to thank for their success in the sport, and that they will “continue to do so.”

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