Judge rules against US women’s soccer team in equal pay case

Los Angeles (AFP) – A federal judge dismissed the United States women’s soccer team’s bid for equal pay on Friday, rejecting claims the players had been underpaid in a crushing defeat for the reigning world champions. 

In a 32-page ruling, Judge Gary Klausner of the US District Court for Central California in Los Angeles tossed the women’s claim of pay discrimination, ruling in favour of the United States Soccer Federation.

Klausner did allow the women’s case for unfair treatment in areas such as travel, housing and medical support to proceed to trial however.

But the judge said the equal pay claims — the central plank of the case — had been dismissed because there was evidence the women had turned down an offer to be paid along the lines of the US men’s team.

“The history of negotiations between the parties demonstrates that the WNT rejected an offer to be paid under the same pay-to-play structure as the MNT, and the WNT was willing to forgo higher bonuses for benefits, such as greater base compensation and the guarantee of a higher number of contracted players,” Klausner wrote.

“Accordingly, plaintiffs cannot now retroactively deem their CBA (collective bargaining agreement) worse than the MNT CBA by reference to what they would have made had they been paid under the MNT’s pay-to-play terms structure when they themselves rejected such a structure,” he said.

The women’s claims against the USSF for discriminatory practices in use of flights, hotel accommodation and medical support can proceed. 

A trial on those issues has been set for June 16 in Los Angeles.

– ‘Shock, disappointment’ –

The US women were left stunned however by their defeat on the pay issue. The women had been seeking back pay of $66 million under the Equal Pay Act.

A spokeswoman for the players reacted with dismay following Friday’s ruling.

“We are shocked and disappointed with today’s decision, but we will not give up our hard work for equal pay,” spokeswoman Molly Levinson said.

“We are confident in our case and steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that girls and women who play this sport will not be valued as lesser just because of their gender.

“We have learned that there are tremendous obstacles to change; we know that it takes bravery and courage and perseverance to stand up to them.”

The increasingly acrimonious lawsuit had taken a dramatic turn in March, when a filing by lawyers for the federation argued that US men’s team players required a “higher level of skill based on speed and strength” than the women.

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Bundesliga restart blow as three test positive for coronavirus at Cologne

Berlin (AFP) – Three people have tested positive for coronavirus at Cologne and will be placed into a 14-day quarantine, the Bundesliga club said Friday in a potential blow to hopes of restarting the German football season this month.

“Cologne had the entire team and coaching staff, along with the backroom staff, tested on Thursday for COVID-19. Three people tested positive, all are symptom free,” the club said in a statement on its website.

“After an assessment of the cases by the responsible health authorities, the three people who tested positive will go into a 14-day quarantine at home. 

“Cologne will not confirm any names out of respect for the privacy of those affected.”

The club said it would continue to train in preparation for the campaign to resume, with further tests to be carried out as part of the league’s health and safety protocol. 

“We now see in everyday life that our concept recognises and reduces risks at an early stage,” said Tim Meyer, head of the German league’s medical task force.

“We are convinced that with our concept, we can enable players to practice their profession with the best possible protection against infection.”

The Bundesliga had set a target return date of May 9 but still needs permission from the German government. 

A delay on the decision this week meant a resumption would not be possible before May 16. 

A final decision is expected next Wednesday.

The German league confirmed Thursday that clubs had started testing players for the virus as part of plans to get the season up and running again. 

It has been suspended since March 13.

Clubs returned to training at the start of April while adhering to social distancing guidelines and games would be played behind closed doors, with large-scale public events banned in Germany until August 31.

Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke warned last weekend that “the entire Bundesliga will go down” unless the league restarts.

Germany’s top clubs are desperate for the season to be completed by June 30 in order to claim an instalment of television money worth 300 million euros ($325 million).

A return in May would make the Bundesliga the first top league in Europe to resume as Germany cautiously eases lockdown measures.

Nevertheless, there is heated debate about whether the Bundesliga should resume amid the pandemic which has so far claimed the lives of more than 6,000 people in Germany.

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Serie A teams set to defy govt and return to training

Milan (AFP) – Italy’s 20 Serie A clubs on Friday reiterated their unanimous desire to complete the season as the northern Emilia-Romagna region became the first to open the way to training despite government restrictions.

An emergency Lega Serie A assembly via video of the top-flight clubs took place after Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora this week said the chances of restarting were “increasingly narrow”.

League president Paolo Dal Pino stated after the meeting “his openness to a dialogue with the government from a constructive and collaborative perspective, obtaining on this position the full agreement of all the clubs.”

Spadafora has warned that the government will call time on the season which has been suspended since March 9 if the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) fails to convince them on its health and safety protocol.

An FIGC meeting slated for May 8 could be decisive.

Meanwhile, the Emilia-Romagna region on Friday gave permission for local clubs, including top-flight sides Bologna, Parma, SPAL and Sassuolo, to resume training in sports centres from May 4 if they wished to do so.

Emilia-Romagna regional president Stefano Bonaccini has agreed to allow “professional sportspeople to train individually, in compliance with social distancing rules and without any gatherings in closed-door structures.”

Southern giants Napoli are also planning to return to training as their safety proposals have received the backing of local authorities.

Friday’s league meeting also addressed the issue of TV rights, but no resolutions were adopted concerning broadcasters Sky, DAZN and IMG, with a final payment estimated at 340 million euros ($370 million) for the current season, due to be paid in May.

FIGC president Gabriele Gravina has said that calling time would be “the death of Italian football”, predicting losses of over 800 million euros in TV rights, sponsors, ticketing and marketing.

If the government did decide to pull the plug on the season it would have the support of a country traumatised by over 28,000 coronavirus deaths.

According to a recent survey, two out of three Italians would support a stoppage, in particular in the northern epicentre, stronghold of heavyweights Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan and Atalanta. 

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Trippier charged over alleged breach of betting rules

London (AFP) – England international Kieran Trippier has been charged by the English Football Association over allegedly breaching betting rules in July 2019, the month he moved from Tottenham to Atletico Madrid.

The 29-year-old was a star of England’s run to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018 and helped Spurs to the Champions League final last season before a reported £20 million ($25 million) move to Spain.

Trippier has been given until May 18 to respond.

“Kieran Trippier has been charged with misconduct in relation to alleged breaches of the FA’s betting rules”, the FA said in a statement outlining their regulations.

The statement said: “A participant shall not bet, either directly or indirectly, or instruct, permit, cause or enable any person to bet on – (i) the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of, or occurrence in or in connection with, a football match or competition; or (ii) any other matter concerning or related to football anywhere in the world, including, for example and without limitation, the transfer of players, employment of managers, team selection or disciplinary matters.”

The defender released a statement saying he would continue to fully cooperate with the investigation.

“I have fully complied with the FA’s investigation over the past several months on a voluntary basis and will continue to do so,” he said.

“I want to make it clear that while a professional footballer, I have at no stage placed any football-related bets or received any financial benefit from others betting.”

Atletico said Trippier would be exonerated.

“The player has informed us he is calm because he has done nothing wrong,” said a club source. “It seems ridiculous to him that someone would try to link him to something like this.

“He will collaborate with everything to clear it up as soon as possible. He is sure that in time things will become clear.”

Trippier could face a lengthy ban if found guilty.

In March, former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge was handed a worldwide four-month ban from all football-related activity for passing on inside information on potential transfer moves in January 2018.

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Premier League re-states commitment to finish season

London (AFP) – Premier League clubs on Friday reconfirmed their commitment to finish the 2019/20 season subject to coronavirus restrictions being lifted in Britain despite fears expressed by players.

The English top flight faces an eye-watering estimated loss of around £1 billion ($1.25 billion) if no more football is played due to the global pandemic.

Playing the 92 remaining games behind closed doors would mitigate that loss, avoiding the need to repay hundreds of millions to broadcasters.

But the Premier League faces huge logistical difficulties in its attempts to return to action, with Britain one of the countries worst-hit by COVID-19.

The league and clubs discussed possible steps towards resuming the season at a meeting on Friday.

“The league and clubs are considering the first tentative moves forward and will only return to training and playing with government guidance, under expert medical advice and after consultation with players and managers,” the Premier League said in a statement.

“The clubs reconfirmed their commitment to finishing the 2019/20 season, maintaining integrity of the competition and welcomed the government’s support.”

The British government is due to review a nationwide lockdown on May 7 and Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised on Thursday to provide a “roadmap” towards easing restrictions.

– Legal challenges –

Liverpool are on the brink of their first league title for 30 years with a 25-point lead at the top of the table.

However the Premier League is keen to avoid potential legal challenges over the awarding of much more tightly contested European places, relegation and promotion if the season cannot be completed.

Paris Saint-Germain were declared Ligue 1 champions on Thursday after French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced sport could not resume before September.

The decision to end the season based on average points per game has angered some clubs, most notably Lyon, who have threatened legal action after missing out on a European place.

Key to any restarting of matches in the Premier League is government support. Oliver Dowden, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, struck a positive tone after a meeting with leaders of a number of sports on Friday.

“We just kicked off first of many detailed meetings to plan for a safe return of elite sport behind closed doors when, and only when, it is safe to do so on the basis of expert medical advice,” Dowden tweeted.

However, players are questioning whether they are being rushed back into action to save the clubs money.

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‘I would definitely be interested in it’ – Bale on MLS

Madrid (AFP) – Gareth Bale has said he would be interested in playing in Major League Soccer in America if he leaves Real Madrid. 

Bale has not been a regular in Zinedine Zidane’s team this season and the 30-year-old almost departed last summer, before a move to Chinese club Jiangsu Suning fell through. 

Any MLS club keen to sign Bale would likely have to overcome the huge financial implications of a deal. Bale’s Madrid contract ends in 2022 and earns him close to 30 million euros ($33 million) a year before tax. 

“I really like the league,” said Bale, speaking to the Hat-Trick podcast presented by the ICC, in an episode released on Thursday. 

“I think it’s grown so much over the years. When we come over and play them in pre-season, the games are difficult, the standard is getting a lot better. The clubs are improving, the facilities are improving, the stadiums are improving. 

“I think it’s a league that’s on the up and still rising. I think a lot more players want to come over to America now and play. I would definitely be interested in it.” 

Bale was also asked about the banner he celebrated with after Wales qualified for Euro 2020 in November, which caused a stir in the Spanish press.

The banner taken from the crowd read, ‘Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order’, as an indication of Bale’s priorities. 

“We were just joking around,” said Bale. “A few of them were saying ‘if we do qualify, let’s try to find it and bring it out. I was like, ‘do what you want but I won’t be going to get it. They found it and brought it down. 

“We were all celebrating as a team and I’m not not going to not jump around with my teammates. It was a bit of banter, a bit of fun.”

Bale is keeping fit at home as the coronavirus pandemic means players are waiting to see if La Liga can resume, with the plan to restart games behind closed doors in June.

“The club are sending us two weeks of programmes every two weeks,” Bale said. “We’re sticking to that, you can change it a bit if you want to do a bit more or a bit less depending on how your body is feeling. We have a guideline and we’re doing the best we can to tick over for the time being.”

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Premier League holds talks with ‘Project Restart’ under pressure

London (AFP) – Premier League clubs were due to hold talks on Friday on how to finish the season as Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero admitted players were scared about being rushed back into action. 

The English top-flight is facing an eye-watering estimated loss of around £1 billion ($1.25 billion) if no more football is played due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Playing the 92 remaining games behind closed doors would mitigate that loss, avoiding the need to repay hundreds of millions to broadcasters.

Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool are on the brink of their first league title for 30 years and there are many other issues to resolve, including Champions League qualification and relegation.

But the English top-flight faces huge logistical difficulties in its attempts to return to action, with Britain one of the countries worst-hit by COVID-19.

“Obviously, the majority of players are scared but above all because they have children, babies and family, they might live with their parents,” Aguero told Spanish show El Chiringuito TV.

“If we return I am sure everyone will be tense because the minute one person starts to feel ill, it will be ‘what’s going on there?’.”

Players would potentially face weeks away from their families, quarantined in hotels.

“I am hoping that it doesn’t come that scenario,” said Brighton striker Glenn Murray. “That is far-fetched, to spend eight weeks away from your family is quite a big ask.”

Murray also labelled the idea that players could be asked to wear face masks during training sessions as “farcical”.

– ‘It only takes one case’ –

Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville, who owns a stake in League Two side Salford City, is one of many who believes that economic factors are overriding safety considerations.

“How many people have to die playing football in the Premier League before it becomes unpalatable?” Neville told Sky Sports.

“If it was a non-economic decision there would be no football for months.”

Just providing the tests necessary to get the ball rolling is a political headache.

According to reports, players, coaches and backroom staff would need to be tested two to three times a week.

“If football was to resume then testing will be key and an extra layer of training will be required,” former Chelsea doctor Eva Carneiro told the BBC.

“It only takes one case for all of this to blow up.”

Although those tests would be privately sourced and paid for, there is still unease at the prospect of young, healthy footballers being regularly tested when other members of society are not.

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