Canada Women’s National Team stopped striking and will compete in the SheBelieves Cup starting next week after Canada Soccer threatened legal action, the players said in a statement Saturday.
The players prepare for the upcoming competition in Orlando, Florida, said on Friday that they are taking action on the job due to budget cuts, equal pay issues and an overall lack of support from Canada Soccer.
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But on Saturday, the Canadian federation threatened to sue the Canadian Soccer Players Association (CSPA) and the players currently in the camp, the Canadian broadcaster said. TSN reported.
As a result, the players said they had little choice but to return to the pitch before the opening match against United States women’s national team on Thursday.
“Representatives from the Players’ Association met with Canada Soccer this afternoon for an hour-long meeting in which the players’ concerns were discussed in detail,” the women’s national team said. said in a statement on Saturday.
“Before that meeting, Canada Soccer told us that they would consider our work action an illegal strike. They told us that if we didn’t return to work — and not committed to playing Thursday’s game against the US – they will not only take legal action to force us back on the field, but also consider taking steps to collect damages that could run into the millions dollars from our Players Association and from each player currently in camp.
“As individual players who have not yet received compensation for any of our work for Canada Soccer in 2022, we cannot accept the risks that Canada Soccer’s individual actions against us. Because of this, we have advised Canada Soccer that we will be back for training tomorrow and will play in the SheBelieves Cup as scheduled.”
Update from Canadian Football Players Association pic.twitter.com/hysGyanG5q
– Canadian soccer player (@PlayersCanadian) February 12, 2023
The SheBelieves Cup, a four-team tournament that also features Brazil and Japan, is part of Canada’s preparations for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, which kicks off July 20 in Australia and New Zealand.
Canada, ranked sixth in the world, won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
“We continue to believe that Canada Soccer’s cuts to the national team’s programs – especially in the run-up to our World Cup – are unacceptable,” the players added in their statement. Surname. “We continue to believe that Canada Soccer needs to do more to support our programs and our players. And we continue to believe that unless we come together and demand it,” he said. more, nothing will change.”
Captain Canada Christine Sinclair added on Twitter: “We’re forced to get back to work for a short while. This isn’t over. We’ll continue to fight for what’s deserved and we’ll win. She Believes is being played in protest. .”
The players boycotted training on Saturday, Canadian press reportedafter Sinclair and forward Janine Beckie said Friday that it will not represent Canada Soccer until its requirements are met.
“It hurts, I won’t lie,” Sinclair told TSN.
“We’re all proud to represent this country. We’ve shared some of the best moments together. But it’s hard not to feel that support from your own federation has been difficult. But it’s come to the point where, at least for me personally, until this is resolved, I can’t represent this federation. I’m such an opponent that breaks my heart. and kill me…”
The CSPA published a letter on Friday lamenting Canada Soccer, saying it was “deeply outraged and deeply concerned by the news of the substantial cuts” to the national team’s programs.
After the players posted the letter asking for the change and Sinclair and Beckie confirmed the national team’s strike, Canada Soccer responded with a statement saying that negotiations had been going on for months.
“Fair pay for our National Women’s Team is at the core of our ongoing player negotiations. Canada Soccer would not have agreed to any deal without it,” statement says.
“We presented a fair-based proposal to our players from both the National Teams and their advisors a few months ago and we are still waiting for a definitive response on the terms. of that proposal.”
