German ski jumper Selina Freitag denounced the inequality of bonuses received between men and women for a stage of the world circuit, in Germany, this Monday. First in the qualifiers, she won a “bag containing shower gel, shampoo and four towels”, while her male counterparts won a sum of money.
Shampoo for women versus 3,200 euros for men: here are the bonuses received for the winners of the ski jumping qualifications in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. It was during the big stage of the Two Nights Tour, the women's counterpart of the Four Tremplins, that German ski jumper Selina Freitag spoke this Monday at the microphone of the German channel ARD. By denouncing the situation, she highlighted gender pay inequalities.
The debate over bonuses in sport is not new: it takes place all over the world. Today it has reached Germany. The 2023 world team champion lamented: “For the men, a victory in qualification brings 3,200 euros. Here, I received a bag containing shower gel, shampoo and four towels”. And indeed, it was the winner of the ski jumping qualifications, the Austrian Jan Hörl, who received nearly 3,200 euros after his victory on the German hill.
Support still too light
After her denunciation, Selina Freitag received the support of her coach, Heinz Kuttin on her salary differences: “Women also want to earn a little money. It is time to take a step in this direction”, he said. declared. He nevertheless qualified his remarks: “Many things have evolved positively in recent years.”
Although these comments spark debates in the world of ski jumping, the sports director of the German Ski Federation, Horst Hüttel, wanted to temper: “We absolutely have to think about this subject: for the moment, there is no There is no prize money for qualifying. He still added that “the towel and the shower gel were a bit of a shame. The smartest way to go is to give nothing at all.”
As the Swiss media Blick points out, women however receive bonuses during World Cup events, but much lower than those of men. Indeed, a success for women would offer 4,300 euros compared to more than 13,000 euros for men. The overall winner of the Two Nights Tour leaves with 10,000 euros compared to more than 105,000 euros for the men in the Four Hills.
