Surfers stoked to join equal pay push

AUSSIE surfing icons Mick Fanning and Stephanie Gilmore have joined News Corp in backing a campaign for equal prizemoney for men and women in sport, and urged for the scheme to go national.

The Equal Pay for Equal Play petition, launched in NSW last month, calls for new regulation surrounding state government funding for sporting clubs.

Under the suggested change, any NSW sports club or organisation applying for government grants or financial assistance must also show it offers equal prizemoney, opportunities and facilities for men and women who compete in equivalent divisions of the same competition.

Seven-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore (pictured) said the petition’s call for equality “not only feels right, it is right”.

“There is only one option going forward – equality – especially when it comes to sport earnings and funding,” she said.

“Particularly when it comes to public funding, gender equity should be mandatory.

“If we can build these practices from grassroots, it will become the norm and in turn ingrain this as a basic principle that hopefully reaches areas far beyond sport.”

Three-time men’s world champion Fanning also voiced his support and he is the first high-profile male surfer to put his name to the campaign.

He said he was right behind the Equal Pay for Equal Play petition because “I’ve seen the results”.

“When you look at women’s surfing at the elite level on the WSL Championship Tour, there’s been a dramatic evolution in performance and marketability of the athletes since equal pay was introduced,” he said.

“There’s also been an incredible increase in phenomenal emerging talent in the junior women’s surfing ranks internationally.”

Sign the petition at equalpayforequalplay.com.au