The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has come under fire after it has emerged that Martina Navratilova is paid roughly one tenth of what John McEnroe earns whilst commentating for the Wimbledon Championships.
In an interview with BBC Panorama, former world No.1 Navratilova said she receives in the range of £15,000 for her work as a commentator during the grass court major. A sharp contrast to that of McEnroe. Last July the BBC published the salaries of its highest paid stars with the American 59-year-old receiving £150,000 or more.
“It’s hard to compare exactly because some people work longer days maybe a few more programmes, whatever but overall, it was a shock because John McEnroe makes at least £150,000.” She told Panorama.
“I get about £15,000 for Wimbledon and unless John McEnroe is doing a whole bunch of stuff outside of Wimbledon he’s getting at least ten times as much money for very comparable work, so yea, at the moment that’s what I know.”
During the interview, Navratilova said she was told that she would be getting a comparable amount of pay to that of her male colleagues. Something that she now labels as a lie from the BBC.
“Absolutely and we were told yes, I was getting a comparable amount so yeah, we were not told the truth that’s for sure.” She said.
In the aftermath of the claims, BBC Sport has defended the pay of McEnroe. Arguing that his salary can’t be compared to Navratilova because his work differs a lot. Whilst it is noted that the three-time Wimbledon champion makes more appearances on the BBC of the two, a Panorama investigation estimates it to be three times more than Navratilova. Raising questions about why the pay is in fact ten times more.
“Along with Sue Barker, John is regarded as the face of our Wimbledon coverage. He is a defining voice within the BBC’s coverage. He is widely considered to be the best expert/commentator in the sport, highly valued by our audiences and his contract means he cannot work for another UK broadcaster without our permission. His pay reflects all of this – gender isn’t a factor.” A spokesperson told The Guardian.
It is not the first time female colleagues have complained that they receive less than men whilst working for the BBC. Last year a report found an average gender pay gap of 9.3%, despite equal pay being part of the British legal system for more than 50 years.
The programme Britain’s Equal Pay Scandal, which Navratilova made her comments on, will air on BBC1 at 19:30 on Monday evening.
