INTERNATIONAL
Women add pressure to see Canadian FA president resign over pay equity
Nick Bontis leaves his position due to the continued problems over the conditions of the men’s and women’s teams.
The president of the Canadian Soccer Federation, Nick Bontis, announced his resignation on Monday with immediate effect amid a conflict between the governing body and the men’s and women’s national teams over equal pay. In addition, the presidents of the country’s 13 provincial and territorial federations demanded his resignation.
Canada women send strong message
Bontis, who was elected to the position in November 2020, explained that both programs, which are facing budget cuts, have the potential to sign a “historic collective bargaining agreement.” The Canadian women’s team upped their protest against pay equity on 16 February. Before the inaugural match of the SheBelieves Cup against the United States, they wore purple t-shirts that read “enough is enough.”
“While I have been one of the biggest proponents of equalizing the competitive performance environment for our Women’s National Team, I will unfortunately not be leading this organization when it happens. I acknowledge that this moment requires change,” Bontis explained in a statement.
The players want to receive the same resources as the men’s team during the Qatar World Cup ahead of the women’s team’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this summer. The women’s team’s last agreement with the Federation expired in 2021, while the men’s team, which formed its own players’ association in August, is negotiating its first formal agreement. In early February, players from both teams asked Canada’s Minister of Sport, Pascale St-Onge, to force Bontis to resign.
In both the Spanish and French national soccer teams, several players have resigned from being called up due to disagreements with management and conditions.