Products You May Like
A set of proposed resolutions addressing gender equity and discriminatory chanting are set to be taken up by the U.S. Soccer Federation’s board of directors on Friday.
If passed, the resolutions would take immediate effect and become the official position of the USSF.
The gender equity proposal consists of three parts. The first involves an update to the USSF’s version of the Rooney Rule — a name borrowed from the NFL’s minority hiring initiative. Whereas previously the rule required “minority candidates” to be interviewed for each open senior executive, full-time head coach and full-time assistant coach position, the language would be changed so that the list of candidates “shall include women and candidates from underserved communities,” and that at least two such candidates shall be interviewed for each position.
The second part of the proposal would require that by 2027, each United States national team should include at least one full-time female coach, with the goal of the number of male and female full-time coaches in the national teams program being approximately equal by that date in accordance with applicable law.
The third section of the proposal would require that the USSF CEO and sporting director present to the board a plan to increase the number of female licensed coaches to a level equal to that of male licensed coaches by the year 2028.
The proposal, which comes days after players from the U.S. women’s national team settled their class action equal pay lawsuit against the USSF for a total of $24 million, is being put forth by USSF board member John Collins.
“We’ve never had a woman coach on the men’s side,” Collins told ESPN. “It’s time that changes.”
Collins added that in terms of coaching licenses, 57 men have obtained the USSF’s Pro license compared to just two women. The A license has been awarded to 2,411 men and 150 women. In terms of all licenses at all levels, 140,000 have been issued to men and 31,500 granted to women.
The resolution addressing discriminatory chanting says that the USSF would adopt a “zero tolerance” policy with respect to discriminatory chants and will prohibit discriminatory chants at all U.S. Soccer events. The resolution adds that it would implement FIFA’s three-step protocol at all matches “promoted or controlled by U.S. Soccer,” and that any party seeking to sanction an international match in the U.S. must agree to abide by the USSF’s policies and take the actions necessary to prohibit and stop discriminatory chants at U.S.-sanctioned soccer matches.
The issue of discriminatory chants has come up in matches involving the Mexico men’s national team, with the Mexico Football Federation (FMF) being levied multiple fines by FIFA. At present, the USSF doesn’t have a policy against discriminatory chants.