There was an incredible moment in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup when the entire stadium broke out in chants of “equal pay” in support of the US Women’s National Team, who were involved in a fight with their national federation over better pay.
But equality is more than just about the final cheque that comes in. It’s about institutional equality and how we develop this ecosystem.
I got to discuss this and more with a wonderful panel of women at the Sports Law and Policy symposium in 2020. We heard from Kathryn Gill about how the footballers in Australia procured a ground-breaking collective bargaining deal for equality. Jayna Kothari explained the legal standing for seeking equal pay in sport, especially in the Indian context. Anna Kessel picked up the point about whether reparations needed to be paid for female athletes of previous generations. Sharda Ugra took the conversation beyond pay to equity in institutions and governance, while Snehal Pradhan brought in her own experiences and stressed on the importance of making a little go a long way.
Here’s the full discussion.