Football: Canada football chief resigns amid gender equity furore
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Canada's Jade Rose (left) and Hinata Miyazawa during the SheBelieves Cup match at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, on Feb 22.
PHOTO: AFP
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MONTREAL – The head of Canadian football’s governing body resigned on Monday, saying change was needed at the top of the organisation in the wake of a gender equity dispute with the Canadian women’s team.
Canada Soccer (CS) president Nick Bontis said in a statement that, while there was “real potential” of reaching a collective bargaining agreement for Canada’s men and women’s teams, it was time for him to go.
“While I have been one of the biggest proponents of equalising the competitive performance environment for our women’s national team, I will unfortunately not be leading this organisation when it happens,” he wrote.
“I acknowledge that this moment requires change. Today, I have submitted my resignation, effective immediately, to Canada Soccer’s Board of Directors.”
Bontis was elected president in November 2020.
His decision to resign comes two weeks after Canadian football was plunged into crisis, with the women’s squad threatening to boycott the SheBelieves Cup in the United States.
The team, who are the reigning Olympic champions, had vowed to go on strike over pay, funding and contractual issues.
They eventually called off the strike threat
However, they wore purple shirts that read “Enough is enough” ahead of their opening match of the competition. Purple has historically been associated with efforts to achieve gender equality.
The women had hit out at Canada Soccer after claiming they received no pay in 2022.
They also slammed budget cuts that they argued had compromised the team’s preparations for the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
The CS spent US$11 million (S$14.8 million) on the men’s programme in 2021, and US$5.1 million on the women. But the organisation has insisted it has a “proven track record” of supporting the women’s game and that pay equity was “at the core” of ongoing player negotiations.
“All we’re asking for is to be given equal opportunity to our men’s team to get ready for our World Cup,” Canada forward Janine Beckie said earlier in February.
The men’s team have also backed the women, saying in a statement on Feb 10 they “wholeheartedly support” the squad.
They also asked for Canada’s Sport Minister Pascale St-Onge to remove the CS leadership if it is “not willing to take immediate action to respond to the players’ demands and concerns”, according to a report by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
The women’s team said: “If Canada Soccer is not willing or able to support our team, new leadership should be found.” AFP, REUTERS
