If anyone needed further proof that sexism still exists within the athletic community, Indian Wells CEO Raymond Moore rose—or sank, rather—to the occasion on Monday. Moore made the comment that he would like to be a member of the WTA in his next life because “they ride on the coattails of the men. They don't make any decisions, and they are lucky. They are very, very lucky. If I was a lady player, I'd go down every night on my knees and thank God that Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal were born because they have carried this sport. They really have.” He has since resigned from his position.

To say that Moore’s comments caused an international outrage is an understatement. Athletes around the world took umbrage to the former professional player’s statement. The WNBA was no exception, and Lisa Borders made it very clear in her statement in response to Moore’s comments. She said, “The WNBA condemns the disparaging remarks made by Indian Wells CEO Raymond Moore regarding the women of the WTA.  Female athletes are no different than their male counterparts.  They inspire millions of fans and work hard to be the best in their sports by competing at the highest levels, breaking records and winning championships.  At a time when the physical and emotional benefits of athletic participation have never been more clear, we need to empower female athletes and promote opportunities for girls and women to play sports, rather than promote outdated, offensive and uninformed opinions.”

Borders, the newest president of the WNBA, could not have spoken truer words. Not only that, but could Moore have been more obtuse? Speak the word “tennis” to anyone and the first names that you are going to hear are Venus and Serena Williams. Fans point out that Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova are also two of the most well-known names in the sport. And to quickly recover from the statement, owner Larry Ellison made it clear that winners receive the same amount of prize money, but that certainly is not the case across the board. Make a chart of any NBA team versus any WNBA team salary and one glance at the side-by-side comparison is all it takes to see glaring disparities. Perhaps Moore’s comments, as despicable as they were, will help add fuel to the fire and create a more equal playing field for athletes as a result.

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