‘Frustration’ after women’s ski jumping World Cup qualifying prize revealed as shampoo and towels

An “unfortunate” pay gap in ski jumping has been exposed after a World Cup event took place in December.

Men’s qualifying winner Jan Haerl took home 3000 Swiss francs ($A5300) for finishing first in qualifying — but women’s winner Selina Freitag received a gift bag.

“I received a partner bag with shower gel and shampoo and four hand towels,” Freitag told German TV channel BR24.

“We unfortunately didn’t have a spare five hundred (euros) or so.”

The FIS, skiing’s governing body, told CNN that female winners of qualifying events don’t receive prize money like their male counterparts.

They said the gift also included a voucher for a weekend of wellness treatments and “was certainly well intentioned”.

“But it is understandable that it may have generated frustration and given a bad impression if seen as formal compensation for the victory. This was not the case,” FIS said.

FIS added that women’s ski jumping is still a relatively new sport with less spectator interest and marketing revenues than its male counterpart, and consequently has less prize money available.

CNN contacted the event organiser for comment.

The discrepancy in prize money available “highlights the inequalities that still exist in sport in sport to this day”, Her Sport, an advocacy group for gender equality in sport, posted on social media.

“We often hear the argument that it comes down to revenue generation, but ... revenue doesn’t grow in a vacuum.

“It starts with investment and commitment to bridging the gap.”

The main events further exposed the divide.

Slovenia’s Nika Prevc won the women’s competition and collected 4300 Swiss francs ($A7500) — barely more than the men’s qualifying prize.

Austria’s Daniel Tschofenig, meanwhile, took home 13,000 Swiss francs ($A23,000) for winning the men’s competition proper.