American Megan Rapinoe battles Patricia Guijarro of Spain for the ball in a US victory in the 2020 SheBelieves Cup (Sarah Stier)

Los Angeles (AFP) – Coca-Cola slammed US Soccer after the federation claimed in court documents that playing for the men’s national team carries more responsibility and requires a higher level of skill than that demanded of women players.

The federation made the argument in papers filed this week in the gender discrimination lawsuit filed by the US Women’s National Team against the federation in March of 2019.

“We are extremely disappointed with the unacceptable and offensive comments made by US Soccer,” the Coca-Cola Company said in a statement on Wednesday.

“We have asked to meet with them immediately to express our concerns.

“The Coca-Cola Co. is firm in its commitment to gender equality, fairness and women’s empowerment in the United States and around the world and we expect the same from our partners,” added the company, which is a long-established corporate partner of both the US Soccer Federation and FIFA, football’s global governing body and organizer of the men’s and women’s World Cups.

The women players’ lawsuit accuses the federation of gender discrimination and demands $66 million in back pay under the Equal Pay act and the Civil Rights Act.

Both sides have requested a summary judgment seeking a ruling in their favor before the May 5 trial date.

In its submission filed this week, the USSF argued that the hostile environments in which the men’s team play are “unmatched by anything the Women’s National Team (WNT) must face …”

The federation also argued that “The job of (a men’s national team) player (competing against senior men’s national teams) requires a higher level of skill based on speed and strength than does the job of (women’s national team) player (competing against senior women’s national teams).”

Molly Levinson, spokeswoman for the players pursuing the lawsuit, called it a “ridiculous ‘argument.'”

“It sounds as if it has been made by a caveman,” Levinson said. “Literally everyone in the world understands that an argument that male players ‘have more responsibility’ is just plain simple sexism and illustrates the very gender discrimination that caused us to file this lawsuit to begin with.

“So looking forward to trial on May 5,” Levinson concluded.

Disclaimer: Validity of the above story is for 7 Days from original date of publishing. Source: AFP.