Equal pay talks break down between USWNT and US Soccer Federation

The mediation talks between US Soccer Federation and the USA's women's soccer team (USWNT) have broken down over the gender discrimination lawsuit filed by the players last year, as per the women's team spokesperson.

"We entered this week's mediation with representatives of USSF full of hope. Today we must conclude these meetings sorely disappointed in the federation's determination to perpetuate fundamentally discriminatory workplace conditions and behaviour," CNN quoted the players' spokesperson Molly Levinson as saying.

"It is clear that USSF, including its board of directors and president Carlos Cordeiro, fully intend to continue to compensate women players less than men. They will not succeed," she added.

The women's team's had filed the lawsuit in March this year and 28 members of the team listed themselves as plaintiffs.

The suit alleges federal discrimination by paying women less than men "for substantially equal work and by denying them at least equal playing, training, and travel conditions; equal promotion of their games; equal support and development for their games; and other terms and conditions of employment equal to the MNT."

However, the US Soccer denied Levinson's statement saying the football body in the country is constantly trying to find a resolution to the problem. Their statement also added that plaintiffs took an aggressive approach during the mediation talks.

"We have said numerous times that our goal is to find a resolution, and during mediation, we had hoped we would be able to address the issues in a respectful manner and reach an agreement," US Soccer said.

"Unfortunately, instead of allowing mediation to proceed in a considerate manner, plaintiffs' counsel took an aggressive and ultimately unproductive approach that follows months of presenting misleading information to the public in an effort to perpetuate confusion," the body added.

The country's football body also accused the women's soccer team's spokesperson of making inflammatory statements.

"Despite inflammatory statements from their spokesperson, which are intended to paint our actions inaccurately and unfairly, we are undaunted in our efforts to continue discussions in good faith," US Soccer said.

Earlier this year, USA's football team had won the FIFA Women's World Cup.