Canadian captain Christine Sinclair says she believes the national women’s team will go on strike over pay equity concerns and a lack of funding that will compromise their performances.
The players released a joint statement Friday condemning Canada Soccer’s “continued inability to support its national teams.”
They are set to face the United States in the SheBelieves Cup on February 17.
“As a team we decided to take action,” Sinclair told broadcaster TSN.
“From this moment we will not participate in anything [Canada Soccer] Activities – be it training or playing – until this is resolved.
“It’s very hard to say as an athlete who wants to compete and represent Canada, but enough is enough.”
The next Women’s World Cup will be held in Australia and New Zealand from July 20 to August 20.
Canada is ranked sixth in the world and has won Olympic gold in 2021.
In a statement released by the Canadian Soccer Players Association (CSPA), the players said they were “outraged and deeply concerned” by the reported funding cuts at the national organization.
“We are demanding immediate change,” the statement read.
“We expect and deserve nothing less than to be treated equally and fairly, and to have our program – and our World Cup preparations – properly funded.
“We are disappointed and once again deeply disrespected by Canada Soccer.”
The statement was backed by the men’s team, which went on strike last year over a World Cup prize money dispute.
Forward Janine Beckie, who spoke to Sinclair after the release of the statement, said the team would not play the SheBelieves match if the issues were not resolved.
“It’s a men’s and women’s team together taking action against a federation that has treated us badly for a long time, and we’ve been very good for a long time,” he said.
“At this stage we will not train, we will not attend meetings. We will not participate in any scheduled activity with the national team in the coming days.”
Canada Soccer said it will meet with the women’s team on Saturday for further talks, insisting it has a “proven record” of supporting the women’s game.
We are tired of the constant struggle for fair treatment
Canada Soccer has cut training camp days and full camp windows, a joint-player statement said, affecting the team’s World Cup preparations.
The team said it has been “patiently negotiating” with Canada Soccer for more than a year but has been told to “do less.”
He felt “frustrated and deeply disrespected” by the “unacceptable burden” placed on his shoulders.
“We are tired of constantly fighting for fair and equal treatment and for a program that gives us the opportunity to achieve what we know this team is capable of achieving for Canada,” the statement continued.
“This lack of support threatens to reverse the progress we have made as a soccer nation and send us into obscurity.
“National teams can no longer fight for our success alone. Long enough is enough.”
Canada Soccer said it had offered a “mutually agreed-upon early payment” after “months of negotiations” with the team.
“We have presented an equity-based proposal to our national teams and their advisors several months ago and we are still awaiting a definitive response to the terms of that proposal,” the governing body added.
Source: BBC
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