Megan Rapinoe at the Supreme Court: 500 women athletes fight for the right to abortion

M.ore than 500 female athletes have submitted an expert statement to the US Supreme Court and emphasized the importance of the right to abortion. “As athletes in sport, we must have the power to make important decisions about our bodies and have control over our reproduction,” said soccer star Megan Rapinoe in an accompanying statement, according to the US media.

In addition to the 36-year-old world champion, there are 25 other Olympic participants among the signatories, who argue from their individual perspective.

The Supreme Court put the hearing of a lawsuit in the state of Mississippi on the agenda for December 1 on Monday. The case seeks to reverse the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision that made abortions legal across the country.

A Mississippi law, so far blocked by the courts, prohibits abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy. The state is now also demanding that the Supreme Court decision in the Roe v. Wade from 1973 should generally be withdrawn.

• Jürgen Kalwa, New York

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Mississippi tightened the course after the conservative lawyer Amy Coney Barrett was appointed to the Supreme Court shortly before the presidential election last year. With her, the Conservatives got a majority of six to three votes in the Supreme Court.