Wimbledon Pays Less to Women Tennis Players
In the upcoming Wimbledon there’s a $1.3 million difference between the male and female winner’s prize money, something that WTA’s CEO, Larry Scott is fighting over.
Scott points out that Wimbledon made more than $40 million in profit last year.
“So obviously, it’s a social and political statement that’s being made,” he said. “In the 21st century, it’s morally indefensible that women competitors in Grand Slam tournaments should be receiving considerably less prize money than their male counterparts.
“Women got the vote in Britain in 1918 and the Sex Discrimination Act has been in force for more than 30 years, yet Wimbledon continues to take a Victorian-era view when it comes to pay.”
Added tennis’ feminist pioneer, Billie Jean King: “Equal prize money is a no-brainer. Some traditions are good to keep, but Wimbledon needs to join the modern world on this.”
Other Grand Slam tournaments like the French, Australian and U.S. Opens offer equal prize money for the singles winners, though Paris’ overall prize money remains $600,000 less than the males’.
Stephane Simean, who’s in charge of prize money for the federation defends the decision by saying: “On the women’s side there has been a very positive change, with the arrival of many new stars. … Now are 10 to 15 who can vie for a Grand Slam.
“(But) we look objectively at the criteria, and there’s still not the same density (of talent) on the women’s side as there is on the men’s. For now we are focusing just on the winners.”
(source)
