The Red Card of All Red Cards: How FIFA's Decision to Increase the Gap between the Men's and Women's World Cup Prize Monies Is a Violation of EU Law and the Equal Remuneration Convention
A summary of the research:
The article "The Red Card of All Red Cards: How FIFA's Decision to Increase the Gap Between Men's and Women's World Cup Prize Monies is a Violation of EU Law and the Equal Remuneration Convention" by Sierra Paskins examines FIFA's growing gender-based disparity in World Cup prize money. Despite the success and growth of women's soccer, FIFA's increases in prize money for men’s tournaments have outpaced those for women’s tournaments, exacerbating the pay gap. Paskins argues that this disparity violates EU law, specifically the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), and international agreements like the Equal Remuneration Convention. The study suggests that FIFA’s prize money allocation could be legally challenged in the European Court of Justice (ECJ), and that Switzerland, as FIFA’s host nation, has a responsibility under the Equal Remuneration Convention to address this inequality.
Paskins critiques FIFA's non-transparent prize allocation methods and discusses how EU laws on equal pay and freedom to provide services could be applied to mandate gender equity in prize money. The article calls for legal reforms and stricter oversight, proposing that Switzerland should legislate changes using its anti-corruption framework, "Lex FIFA," to enforce fairer pay practices. Such legal actions and legislative measures could create more equitable conditions for female athletes in global soccer competitions.
Key Takeaways
The increasing prize money gap between men's and women's World Cups violates EU equal pay laws and the Equal Remuneration Convention.
FIFA’s opaque prize money decision process highlights a need for transparent and equitable policies to ensure compliance with international labor standards.
Switzerland, under the Equal Remuneration Convention, has a legal obligation to enact legislation encouraging FIFA to reduce this gender-based pay gap.
Author: Sierra Paskins
You can read the entire article here.
