USA women's team could miss Olympics over pay dispute

The USA women's football team - the reigning world champions - are threatening to go on strike over pay and could miss the Rio Olympics.

The team asked a federal judge to give them the green light to strike, with the Olympic Games just two months away.

The women argue that the gap in pay between them and the men's team is unfair and they are backed in their dispute by the US Senate, who on Thursday called on the United States Soccer Federation to "immediately end gender pay inequity and to treat all athletes with the respect and dignity those athletes deserve."

Lester Munston, a respected legal issues journalist, said: "If this case continues, if the dispute continues, then there is a probability that the greatest women's soccer team in the world will not be participating in the Olympics."

Richard Nichols, the players' union executive director, said that whilst they want to resolve the dispute with the USSF, the team are prepared to strike.

"We're going to reserve our rights to do whatever we need to do to affect equal pay," he said.

The women claim they are paid £2,400 to £3,380 per international, while their male counterparts receive £4,260 to £12,000.

The USA women are the world's No 1 team, winning the 2015 World Cup while the men are currently ranked 29 in the FIFA rankings.