Carlos Cordeiro quits as US Soccer Federation president
Cordeiro resigns three days after the organization filed legal papers in a gender discrimination case after he said that female players were inferior to men.
After only two years as the president of the U.S. Soccer Federation Carlos Cordeiro resigned on Thursday three days after the organization filed legal papers in a gender discrimination case claiming female players had less physical ability and responsability than men.
“After discussions with the Board of Directors, I have decided to step down, effective immediately,” Cordero said in a statement on Twitter. Since he took the job he became the face of the Federation’s defense against the filings in the women’s national team’s equal pay lawsuit.
With Cordeiro’s resignation the U.S. Soccer appointed Cindy Parlow Cone as the new president, she is now the first female to take on the job in the history of the federation. She used to be the vice-president and now her status is elevated.
“It has been an incredible privilege to serve as the President of the U.S. Soccer. My one and only mission has always been to do what is best for our Federation,” Cordeiro said in his statement on Twitter.
Cordeiro also lamented the arguments and language contained in this week’s legal filling caused great offense and pain, especially to the extraordinary USWNT who according to him deserve better.
The legal documents
The legal papers were submitted to a federal court in Los Angeles as part of the USSF’s defense of the gender discrimination filed by women last year. They claim they have not been paid equally to the men’s national team and asked for more than $66 million in damages under the Equal Pay Act and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 . A trial is scheduled for 5 May.