'Outraged' - Canada Women's players attack their own federation over funding cuts as angry Megan Rapinoe & USWNT offer full support
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- Canada Soccer announced cuts to national teams
- Women's and men's sides have expressed concerns
- Women to go on strike, with SheBelieves Cup looming
WHAT HAPPENED? A joint statement from the Canadian Soccer Players' Association was released on Friday, with the women's team "outraged and deeply concerned" by the news of "significant cuts to the national team programs for 2023".
The men's national team issued a statement of support, too. "How Canada Soccer is allocating or using funds is unclear and cloaked in secrecy," it read.
Canadian men's national soccer team statement in solidarity with women says Canada Soccer budgets are "cloaked in secrecy."
— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) February 10, 2023
Men demanding CS sponsors stop using player images in marketing and ask Sport Minister Pascale St-Onge to remove CS leaders if player demands aren't met. pic.twitter.com/WGYpYhqWAT
WHAT THEY SAID: Speaking to TSN's Sportcentre, team captain Christine Sinclair said: "We all represent this country proudly. We've shared some of the greatest moments together. But to not feel that support from your own federation has been hard in the past.
"But it's gotten to a point where, at least for me personally, until this is resolved I can't represent this federation.
"As a team, we’ve decided to take job action and from this moment on will not be participating in any Canadian Soccer Association activities until this is resolved."
The time is now, we are taking job action. pic.twitter.com/QbVbhTcdDU
— CanadianSoccerPlayers (@PlayersCanadian) February 10, 2023
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Canada are due to participate in the SheBelieves Cup next week, alongside the U.S. women's national team, Brazil and Japan. However, that is now in doubt.
Amid it all, USWNT players have jumped to support their fellow pros, with Megan Rapinoe sharing a message of support on her Instagram story, telling the Canada team that the entire USWNT is behind them. "Let us know how we can be supportive," she wrote.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
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WHAT NEXT? Canada Soccer and its legal counsel will meet with the women's national team on Saturday morning to continue discussions the whole situation.