Carl Lewis Backs Equal Pay, Calls President Trump ‘Racist and Misogynist’

Former Olympian Carl Lewis labeled President Donald Trump a “racist and misogynist,” at a recent press conference. In addition, he called for “equal pay” for women despite recent evidence that the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team is paid more than the male players.

Lewis went on the attack in Lima, Peru, where he is scheduled to present the 100-meter and long jump medals at the Pan American Games, according to USA Today.

The cause of “equal pay” kicked into high gear last month as the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team used its competition in the Women’s World Cup as a political platform to campaign for equal pay.

“The reality is that there’s a lot of prejudice, and a lot of prejudice is fear,” Lewis continued. “We’re afraid to give the same opportunity because it gives us a leg up … the reality is that it’s no different than another athlete on another team. So, yes, I support that.

“If I didn’t have a strong woman in my life, I wouldn’t be sitting here today,” Lewis said on Monday. “My mother was a pioneer,” Lewis said of his mother who also competed in the Pan Am Games back in 1951.

Despite all the clamor for “equal pay,” though, the U.S. Soccer Federation president dispelled claims that the women are paid less than the male players in the league.

U.S. Soccer President Carlos Cordeiro released a letter on July 29 reporting that the U.S. Women’s National Team is not underpaid and in fact are paid more than the men.

“Over the past decade, U.S. Soccer paid our Women’s National Team more than our Men’s National Team,” Cordeiro said in his letter. “From 2010 through 2018, U.S. Soccer paid our women $34.1 million in salaries and game bonuses, and we paid our men $26.4 million — not counting the significant additional value of various benefits that our women’s players receive but which our men do not.”

Lewis also accused President Trump of being a “racist.”

“There are a lot of issues going on,” Lewis said. “We have a racist president, who is prejudiced, and misogynistic, who doesn’t value anyone outside of himself. … But that doesn’t mean we can’t fight for what is right for people, and look at others where they may have missed an opportunity or may have been marginalized in their lifetime.”

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.