Beijing: The dramatic triumph of China’s women footballers at the Asian Cup has sparked calls on social media for equal pay, with commenters contrasting their performance with the dismal men’s side.
Xiao Yuyi’s stoppage-time goal clinched a remarkable 3-2 comeback win over South Korea in the final, sealing a record ninth Asian title for China.
Fans on social media were quick to contrast their stirring victory with the less successful men’s team, who were heaped with scorn last week after a limp defeat to Vietnam ended their slim hopes of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.
“Please hand out prize money to the women’s team according to what the men get — equal pay for equal work!” read one widely shared post on the Twitter-like Weibo.
Another popular post said China’s football association “leads the way in favouring men over women”.
Women “keep working hard, and the money they bring home goes towards the football association’s hapless sons,” it added.
In China, women earn 12 percent less than men overall, according to a report last year by online recruitment firm Zhaopin.
