Hear from Julie Foudy the importance of the Women's Sports Foundation's new publication "Answers to the Most Frequently Asked Questions About Athletes' Rights in Olympic and Amateur Sports."
Dear Athletes,
Before you start reading Athletes' Rights, it is important to understand the origins of this publication. Back in the mid-'90s when the U.S. National Women's Soccer Team was trying to make some headway with contract negotiations and basic rights as a team and athletes, we kept running into a brick wall. That is until Billie Jean King and the Women's Sports Foundation stepped onto the scene. I sat with Billie Jean for a day at a small roundtable discussion and told her about our problems with our Federation and why we felt we were not being treated fairly. From that day on, Billie Jean King and the Women's Sports Foundation collectively became our sounding board for all gender equity issues we dealt with. They shared their wisdom and insights and gave us the courage to move forward in times of great trepidation because we knew there were others who had gone through this before us.
I know this document cannot replace Billie Jean and the Women's Sports Foundation but it is our attempt to try! We want you all to understand your rights, have your questions addressed and know that others before you have gone through these same problems. The more we can learn from past efforts to obtain fair and equal treatment, the more likely it is that we will continue to make progress. And if you can gain an understanding of your rights as an athlete, the path forward becomes much easier to navigate.
Finally, when you read this publication, you may encounter some legal terms or concepts you don't understand. Don't be intimidated. Our soccer team often sought help or advice from athletes who were pioneers in other sports, lawyers and other individuals. If you have questions, call the Women's Sports Foundation and ask for the advocacy department — they are advocating for us. Most importantly, take the time to know your rights. It can make a world of difference.
All the best!
Julie Foudy
Former captain of the U.S. National Women's Soccer Team, Olympic gold medalist and World Cup champion, and former
Public Policy Officer of the Women's Sports Foundation