JOIN USKarnataka Volleyball Association defends gender pay disparity
As the 21st year of the 21st century draws to a close, women in sport being awarded lesser prize money than their male counterparts is still considered a ‘norm’.
“The cash prize for the top-3 finishers in the men’s section will be awarded Rs 40,000, Rs 20,000 and Rs 10,000 whereas the women will fetch Rs 30,000, Rs 20,000 and Rs 10,000,” stated S Harish, president of the Karnataka Volleyball Association, during the press conference held for announcing the Vajpayee Cup.
The 19th edition of the All India Senior South Zone Men’s and Women’s Floodlit Volleyball Tournament is set to begin from December 25-29 at the Vivekananda Ground, Shankar Mutt in Bengaluru.
On questions about the difference in prize money, “It has always been this way. Some States give women half of what the men receive. But we have increased it to almost 90%,” Harish reasoned. “But going forward, we will work towards offering equal cash prize for winning teams in the men and women categories in all the volleyball tournaments held in Karnataka,” he promised.
The competition will feature eight teams in the men's category - SRM University, Calicut University, MG University, Madras University, Kerala University, Bangalore University, Karpagam College of Engineering, Mangalore University. The women’s section will have four teams - Bharathiar University, Mangalore University, SRM University, Mysore University- participating.
The tournament to be inaugurated on Dec 25 at 6 pm will see nearly 150 dignitaries from former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, the present CM Basavaraj Bommai, the three Bengaluru MP’s to BBMP officials and circle inspectors gracing the event.
In all that is planned to make the volleyball tournament an extravaganza, an increase of Rs 10,000 for women to match the prize money of the men, surely, isn’t too much of an ask.
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