Canada’s National Men’s Team wants a salary equal to that of its National Women’s Team.

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, OTTAWA — The Canadian national team squad has finally resumed training after rejecting the exhibition game against Panama. Canada’s World Cup team was at odds over failed wage negotiations with the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA),

The CSA announced that the two parties met on Sunday (5/6/2022) local time after canadian national team rejected the game against Panama. A day later, the players returned to training and the schedule for the match against Panama was rearranged.

This Canadian team was formed to play in the CONCACAF National League. In the first game, Canada will meet Curacao on Friday (10/6/2022) morning WIB.

The CSA is deemed not to announce the exhibition match. The players also hope that the CSA will unblock this situation.

“We look forward to the hope that Canada Soccer will work with us to resolve this situation,” the Canadian players said in a statement.

The match against Panama was canceled around two hours before kick-off when the players refused to enter the pitch. The players haven’t trained for two days before the match.

The team released a statement on Sunday outlining their contract demands, including 40% of the World Cup prize money, travel packages for friends and relatives and justice for the women’s national team. The Canadian national team demanded a similar structure and salaries for players from FIFA World Cup funds and the development of the national women’s league.

Players also want transparency with Canadian Soccer Business. In 2018, the agency signed an agreement with the federation to oversee media rights, sponsorship deals and other commercial assets.

“We wanted to work closely with our organization but that relationship has been strained over the years and now Canada Soccer has disrespected our team and compromised our efforts to raise the bar and effectively advance the game in Canada. “, continues the press release.

The decision comes less than a month after the unions for the American men’s and women’s teams reached a historic agreement with the American federation on equal pay.

CSA President Nick Bontis called the players’ demands untenable. The federation had proposed its proposal to the team on Friday.

“Canada Soccer has worked in good faith with the players to find a fair and equal path for all. We want to have a factual discussion about the fiscal realities that Canada Soccer has to live with on a daily basis,” said Bontis. said.

“Canada Soccer is committed to upholding the principles of fairness and equality. We believe we have given players a fair deal. We compare our offers with those of other national teams around the world,” continued Bontis.

Bontis also mentioned the issue of gender equality which was also raised in the player’s letter. The CSA is committed to doing the same for its National Women’s Team.

The Canadians are ranked sixth in the world and won Olympic gold medals last year. The women’s national team, which took into account the dispute with the men’s team in recent days, indicated that negotiations with the federation had been ongoing since January.

The statement noted that the women’s team did not consider a percentage of the World Cup prize money earned by each team to be equal. But the women’s team said it saw the federation’s proposal last week as a step in the process.

“The Women’s National Team will not accept any deal that does not offer equal pay,” their statement read.

Panama is a replacement team that was suddenly named as an opponent after the Iranian national team was canceled due to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s refusal. Canada is also scheduled to visit Honduras on June 13 in a CONCACAF Nations League match.