Women'S 2015 World Cup Turf Issue- Lawsuit?

Players, lawyers pen scathing letter to FIFA, Canada Soccer on Women’s World Cup turf issue
By Quinn Casteel / August 5, 2014

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A report by The Equalizer has revealed a scathing letter written to FIFA and Canada Soccer by 40 top international players and their lawyers regarding what they are calling an “egregious” plan to play the 2015 Women’s World Cup on turf fields.

The full letter was published on Tuesday morning in an article by Jeff Kassouf, which also confirms that it has already been delivered to its recipients. It was addressed to Canada Soccer executives Victor Montagliani and Peter Montopoli, and FIFA’s Joseph “Sepp” Blatter and Lydia Nsekera. An international team of attorneys wrote the letter on behalf of top players including Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan, Heather O’Reilly, Nadine Angerer, Veronica Boquete and others from Costa Rica, Mexico, Japan, France, England, Japan and more.

The letter begins by requesting a time to discuss the issue of what many are calling poor playing conditions at subpar facilities at the 2015 Women’s World Cup. Given the some $11 billion that was spent on the men’s World Cup in Brazil this summer, the use of turf fields in Canada is being perceived as a discriminatory practice.

+ Read the full letter

“We request an opportunity to speak with you regarding the proposal to play the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015 on artificial turf, a surface widely recognized as inferior in international soccer,” the letter states. “The proposal is discriminatory and violates Canadian law. Particularly egregious is your plan to play the penultimate and final games at BC Place. One commentator has called the aging plastic pitch there a ‘dreadful surface’; several international players—male and female—say it’s like playing on concrete. ”



“With your cooperation, we believe that this matter can be resolved through reasonable discussion. However, if your organizations will not engage in a meaningful dialogue on how to correct the discriminatory treatment of women players, we are prepared to pursue legal action which we are confident should succeed,” it continues.

Regardless of how any upcoming discussions or litigation goes, the players state that they will still participate in the tournament. However, it would not be without great resentment toward the governing bodies.

“Proposing that world-class female athletes be singled out to play on a second-class surface is wrong and should be unacceptable to your organizations, your broadcast partners, and your corporate sponsors,” the letter states. ”It is a disservice not just to the players but to their fans around the world. It contradicts the Canadian government’s claim that ‘Canada is a world leader in the promotion and protection of women’s rights and gender equality.’ And it runs counter to the statement FIFA chose as a quote of the year for its 2013 Women’s football review: ‘The word football doesn’t differentiate between male and female. Football is a game featuring 22 players and one ball, and it’s the same for both men and women.’”

Filed under: CanWNT, Global, International Women, Tournaments, USWNT
Tags: 08-06-2014, 2015 Women's World Cup, Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan, BC Place, Heather O’Reilly, Lydia Nsekera, Nadine Angerer, Sepp Blatter, Verónica Boquete
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It seems you would start with the men's side. There's an appearance of 'let's see how it goes with the women'... Abby might be on to something here.

I don't like artificial surfaces for any sport requiring stopping, pivoting or cutting. Flesh and bone will give before the artificial surface does. Accountants may like it, but it's not what is best for the athletes.