The Canadian national team has major disagreements with the national football association over the prize money to be distributed to players.
Canada secured its place in the Qatar World Cup later this year. AOP
The Canadian men’s national football team refuses to play a future practice match against Panama. According to the Canadian television channel CTV, the national team has gone on strike because it has disagreements with the country’s football association over salaries and compensation.
The team has refused to practice due to a salary dispute. It was scheduled to play in a training match in preparation for the World Cup against Panama in Vancouver on Sunday.
The national team players released a letter on Sunday expressing their dissatisfaction with the Canadian Football Association’s negotiations on compensation. They demand the disclosure and correction of a business agreement signed by the union and a fair pay structure along with the women’s national football team. Players claim 40 percent of the World Cup prize money.
– Canadian football has been disrespectful to our team and has jeopardized our efforts to raise the bar and develop the game effectively in Canada, the team says in a letter to CTV.
According to the TSN television channel, the national team players have been dissatisfied with the alliance since April. At the time, the federation offered players a new deal that would give players 10 per cent of the $ 10 million reward that Fifan, the international football federation, is set to reward Canada.
The Canadian Football Association responds to TSN that it offered national teams 60 percent of the revenue to be shared equally between men’s and women’s team players.
– For the sake of clarity: the men’s national team demanded 75 to 100 percent of the World Cup prize money, the association says in a statement.
– In an attempt to adhere to the principle of fairness, the Football Association proposed that 60 per cent of the World Cup prize money be split between the two national teams (i.e. 30 per cent for the players of each team) and the remaining 40 per cent going to the Football Association. The Football Association believes that this proposal adheres to the principles of fairness and equity.
The players of the men’s national team also express their outrage at the inadequate way the Canadian Football Association supports the players ’families and friends during the World Cup. According to TSN, the federation offered players only two family tickets per player. Families and friends were also not offered financial support for travel or accommodation.
– We hope that the Canadian Football Association will take decisive steps to work with our team so that we can return to the field for our next match on June 9, the players’ letter says.
Canada is scheduled to play next time against Curaçao on Thursday in the inaugural match of their own continental league Concacaf.
Canada is participating in the Men’s World Cup this year for the first time since the 1986 World Cup, the country’s only appearance at the World Cup so far.