"If you don't get any further": Athletes could go on strike for equal pay

Women still earn less money than their male colleagues.

"If you don't get any further": Athletes could go on strike for equal pay

Women still earn less money than their male colleagues. In sports, too, there are still big differences, especially with bonuses. Although the athletes have Chancellor Scholz on their side, they still have “a measure for an escalation” up their sleeves.

For athlete spokeswoman Karla Borger, strikes are also a possible option in the fight for equal pay. "I'm more of a friend of clarifying things differently. But if there's no other way and if you don't listen, then that would be a measure for escalation if you don't get any further," said the 34-year-old beach volleyball player in the SID Interview.

She sees "no reason why women should be paid fewer premiums than men," she said. Most recently, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, among others, called for steps to be taken against the gender pay gap. She is on his side, says Borger. "But you also have to make a distinction when it comes to money," she said: "Firstly, there are the bonuses from the association for a performance, plus the salary from the club and the advertising revenue. That's a different topic."

With a view to this year's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand (July 20 to August 20), DFB captain Alexandra Popp recently ruled out that similarly high bonuses as with male colleagues would be negotiated. "There have already been some changes abroad. It's only a matter of time before this will also happen in Germany," said Borger: "I am firmly convinced that sooner or later it will be completely adjusted." She finds it "terrifying that we are only now talking about it and thinking about it".

In this context, she cited cycling and ski jumping as positive examples. "A lot has already happened" there. It looks even better in biathlon and beach volleyball, "the prize money has always been the same".