CANWNT Forced To Play SheBelieves Cup Under Threat Of Legal Action
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By Ava Tremblay
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Summary
- Canadian women’s soccer team threaten to strike due to unfair treatment from Canada Soccer
- Canada Soccer threatens legal action which could hurt players financially
- Canadian women’s soccer team reluctantly agree to play under threat of legal action
The Canadian women’s soccer team lashed out at the treatment they were receiving from Canada Soccer and claimed that they were being unfairly treated. The players complained that just 6 months before the 2023 Women’s World Cup, Canada Soccer had decided to make big cuts to their program.
Canada’s Women’s Soccer Team Protest
Canada Soccer is said to have asked the women’s soccer team to cut down on their training days and the duration of their training camp. They were also told to reduce the number of staff and players to training camp, in order to keep things limited and keep down costs.
The players protested over these cuts and pointed out that Canada Soccer had earlier reduced youth football activities and were now cutting into them. Janine Beckie, one of the top stars on the women’s soccer team said the players had earlier asked the federation to pay them similar wagers to the men’s team.
Now with these cuts, the players were uncertain about their financial future and felt extremely frustrated. The Canadian Soccer Players Association (CSPA) said they felt outraged at the treatment being dished out to the women’s soccer team.
The women’s soccer team decided to strike and protest by claiming that they would not take the field during the SheBelieves Cup which commences on 16 Feb and the latest soccer odds can be found here.
Canada Soccer Threaten Legal Action
Canada Soccer wasn’t happy with the decision and moved quickly. The federation released a statement and informed the women’s soccer team that they were not in a position to strike based on Ontario labour law and that any strike carried out would be illegal.
Players said they were informed that they would face legal action from Canada Soccer together with the CSPA that would see the federation try to collection millions of dollars in compensation.
The players reluctantly agreed to reverse their decision to strike and participate in the SheBelieves Cup but made it clear via social media that they were taking part under compulsion due to the threats made by Canada Soccer.
Canada Soccer released a statement and responded by saying that they were committed to addressing the demands of the players and know that there is a lot of work to be done going forward.
