According to ESPN, the USWNT will be honored with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the upcoming ESPYs. This award acknowledges their efforts in advocating for equal pay in comparison to the men’s team.
The award, which recognizes individuals or groups in the sports industry who have a positive impact beyond their performance, will be given on July 12th, prior to the women’s team starting their quest for a third consecutive World Cup championship on July 22nd.
The US women’s and men’s football teams achieved significant collective bargaining agreements with the national governing body for the sport in May 2022. These agreements ensure that players will be paid and awarded prize money equally, even at World Cups.
“It feels like this is a paradigm shift or a moment we’ll look back to and say that nothing was ever the same after this Women’s World Cup,” USA forward Megan Rapinoe said on Tuesday.
The prestigious Arthur Ashe Award for Courage is dedicated to the memory of the late tennis legend who faced adversity growing up in the racially segregated southern United States. Arthur Ashe played a pivotal role in dismantling barriers for Black tennis players.
The ESPYs, an event that honors the best athletes and achievements of the previous year, are hosted and broadcasted by ESPN, the sports network owned by Walt Disney Co.
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