U.S. women's national soccer team considers Olympic boycott
Celebrities get behind #equalplayequalpay movement
In its continuing fight for wage parity with male athletes, the U.S. women's national soccer team is contemplating a boycott of this year's Rio Olympics.
The team made waves around the world last week after it sued the U.S. Soccer Federation, claiming its athletes were paid less than their male counterparts despite the women's team having greater success.
Co-captain Becky Sauerbrunn says a boycott of the 2016 Rio Olympics is entirely possible.
"It would still be on the table," Sauerbrunn said, asked by ESPN's Julie Foudy if boycotting the Olympics is possible should nothing change by July. "We are reserving every right to do so, and we're leaving every avenue open and if nothing has changed and we don't feel real progress has been made, then that is a conversation we are going to have."
Watch the full interview:
Fans and celebrities took to Twitter to share their support for the #equalplayequalpay movement.
No stranger to fighting the good fight, Patricia Arquette shared her thanks.
<a href="https://twitter.com/hopesolo">@hopesolo</a> Thank you all for taking a stand. Women have been economically marginalized for hundreds of years. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EqualMeansEqual?src=hash">#EqualMeansEqual</a>
—@PattyArquetteSoccer analyst and former men's national team member Alexi Lalas got straight to the point.
I’d love to see the next negotiated CBA pay <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USWNT?src=hash">#USWNT</a> as much as <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USMNT?src=hash">#USMNT</a>. <a href="https://t.co/K0coSnqsZp">https://t.co/K0coSnqsZp</a>
—@AlexiLalasEven active players on the men's roster are on the same page.
Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/TimHowardGK">@TimHowardGK</a>! <a href="https://t.co/AgkZebqnxr">https://t.co/AgkZebqnxr</a>
—@hopesoloDaily Show host Trevor Noah ripped into U.S. soccer in a segment earlier in the week where he held nothing back.
The U.S. Women’s Soccer Team is making significantly less than the Men’s Team. <a href="https://t.co/vkVnyFg1f0">https://t.co/vkVnyFg1f0</a> <a href="https://t.co/8j6NzHWWc0">pic.twitter.com/8j6NzHWWc0</a>
—@TheDailyShowThis isn't the first time a comedian has gone to bat for the U.S. women's national team. Last summer during the Women's World Cup, Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers roasted broadcasters and really society as a whole for not realizing the importance of what women bring to sports.
Do you think the U.S. women's national team should boycott the Olympics? Let us know in our poll.
Follow @CBCOlympics on Twitter for all your Olympic news, updates and video.