With the Olympics approaching in Rio, one of the sports always catches the eye of excited Americans, crowding around their television to witness a win; USA Women’s Soccer. After successfully winning the gold medal at the prior Olympic games, our hope for them is to gain another victory. For all of the gold medals and records broken, you would believe the women to receive a well-deserved salary for their accomplishments. However, this is not the case. The USA Men’s Soccer Team receives better pay, even though they have not accomplished half of what the Women’s Team have attained.

The five co-captains of the Women’s Team have made a complaint to the US Soccer Federation because of the wage difference. They also are fighting for gender equality; since the men’s team is paid four times as much as the women are; and that’s without winning a world championship. Hope Solo made a comment on The Today Show stating, “We continue to be told we should be grateful just to have the opportunity to get to play professional soccer.” Being a collegiate athlete, that hit me hard. Reason being, that in the year of 2016 gender inequality and discrimination is still an issue. When properly trained and physically fit, a woman can be an outstanding athlete in her desired sport; maybe even perform greater than a man. However, the issue is not about which gender performs better, but more focused on the capability of being an athletic woman, and most importantly, being a successful, female Olympian who deserves the same pay as a male soccer athlete.

Equal time is committed from both USA Soccer Teams. Equal hours of emotional and physical impact are given as well. Will the USA Women’s Soccer Team continue to play if the pay is not increased? Or will they go on strike?

If going on strike is the only option, the US Soccer Federation will be losing millions of dollars, which has been created by the popularity and success of these professional, female athletes.