Group Info

eview, there will be automatic reviews

TORONTO - The Canadian Soccer Association is opposing a request for an expedited hearing on whether using artificial turf at the 2015 Womens World Cup discriminates against women. Desmond King Jersey .A group of elite female players filed a complaint last week with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, asking for an expedited hearing on the case. The CSA, which doubles as national organizing committee of the showcase tournament, and FIFA were given until Thursday to respond to the request to expedite the hearing.The Canadian Soccer Association is prepared to vigorously defend its position and believes the complaint is entirely without merit, the CSA said in its response, released Friday. It should not however have to do so in an expedited process.The tribunal still has to rule on the expedited hearing request. But the CSA submission offers a look at its defence.It argues that FIFA-approved artificial turf is sanctioned for tournament play, noting the world governing body of soccer does not distinguish between male and female players in the application of those standards.The CSA says it will show there is no proven increased risk to players from the use of turf over grass, as supported by independent studies. And it suggests that artificial turf is needed in Canada as a result of its climate and culture.The lawyer for the female players expressed disappointment at the CSA submission while noting that FIFA a€” amazingly and in defiance of the courts directive a€” did not respond at all.Sadly, the Canadian Soccer Association continues to spend time and money on lawyers and procedural delay tactics in a frantic effort to avoid a final court ruling, lawyer Hampton Dellinger said in a statement. Instead, CSA and FIFA should be co-operating with the 2015 World Cups most important asset a€” the worlds best players a€” and paying to provide natural grass fields rather than the plastic pitches that even the most casual fan knows have no place at soccers premier tournament.Dellinger accused the CSA of relegating the worlds best female players to game-changing, dangerous and demeaning conditions. Heres the heart of the matter: what CSA calls the best available fields are so bad that CSA decided that the Canadian mens national team a€” one of international footballs weakest sides a€” would not have to play a mere World Cup qualifying match on them. And these best available fields are so bad that they would not have had a chance at hosting any prior mens World Cup or any future one for years to come.The CSA, however, argues that the turf complaint is frivolous.The use of high-quality turf is integral to soccer in Canada, and the suggestion that having matches played on first-class football turf rather than grass would be discrimination based on gender trivializes that important human right, the CSA said in a brief filed by constitutional lawyer Joseph Arvay.The CSA also contends that the lawsuit is aimed at FIFA and not Canada.The applicants cannot seriously contend that the CSAs decision to bid on the competition, proposing to use Canadas best available facilities, constitutes discrimination. The applicants real concern is not with any conduct by the CSA, but with the decision of FIFA to permit the competition to be held in a country where turf is a common playing surface in our premier stadiums.That is a decision which is not subject to review by this tribunal and one which the applicants are out of time to challenge in any event. They appear to have brought the complaint largely as means of publicizing their dissatisfaction with FIFAs decision made in Zurich in 2011, to allow the CSA to host the competition.On the technical issue of an expedited hearing, the CSA argues that it is unwarranted, saying the players waited until the last minute to file their complaint despite the fact that the type of surface to be used had been known for three years.It is well understood that a complainant who fails to file an application promptly after identifying the alleged human rights violation will not be provided with an expedited hearing, Arvay argues.The players asked for a Nov. 26 hearing, which the CSA said was unworkable.A recently concluded FIFA inspection tour delivered a positive review of tournament preparations in Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montreal and Moncton.Canada is well on track, said Tatjana Haenni, FIFA deputy director of the competitions division and head of womens competitions. Weve inspected the six stadiums and, overall, we are pleased with Canadas readiness.An independent consultant was part of the inspection tour and the CSA has hired a certified testing agency to test the pitches to ensure that the required performance standards are met.All certification steps for stadium pitches are expected to be completed by early 2015.Lawyers for the female players say that gives the two sides ample time to discuss alternatives.a€”a€”a€”Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter Derek Watt Jersey . The last team in the NBA that will have any sympathy for the Thunder is the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are showing signs of putting everything together after two years of devastating injuries. Derwin James Jersey . Canadas Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse will reunite at this weekends season-opening World Cup at Canada Olympic Park as they begin their buildup to the Winter Games in Sochi.WINNIPEG -- Players arent the only people on the field who will be held to a higher standard this season, as the CFLs new vice-president of officiating says the men in stripes will also be held to account. "We want to make sure that the officials are as prepared as they can be," Glen Johnson said Wednesday. "Were improving all of our training and development efforts. Were trying to evaluate them more consistently. Were going to make officials accountable for their performance." He said those who perform the best on the field will work the most, and the evaluation wont just include the usual crop of retired officials but will also include selected groups of coaches asked to provide feedback. Johnson spent 24 years as a referee and head referee in the league before being appointed to this new position in December. The leagues board of governors will be voting May 8 on proposed new rules this season and Johnson is currently touring all CFL cities to meet with teams and discuss those as well as other issues, such as a move to codify infractions more clearly in simple language. He said officials, players and coaches will know with more certainty what is and what isnt going to draw a flag. The proposed rule change that has drawn the most attention so far is a plan to make defensive pass interference subject to challenge and review by video replay but Johnson says there are many more. "Theres player-safety related ones where were eliminating some illegal low blocks. I think thats going to have a really positive impact on the game. Keeping players safe and healthy and having them play more is a good thing." Others are designed to improve game flow, such as not stopping to allow defensive substitutions if theere are no offensive substitutions. Corey Liuget Jersey. . "I think youre going to see a higher tempo," says Johnson. "Youre going to see more offensive output and more plays in a game, which I think just continues to add to our exciting game." Many quarterbacks in the league also may be happy with a proposal to allow them to use their own teams balls. "Were going to allow quarterbacks to condition and use their own footballs. . . Theyll be league-supplied footballs that they can condition, practice with during the week then they can bring them to the game and, as long as they meet a new ball standard, that quarterback can use his own balls during the game." As an example, he said some like to remove the new-ball finish while others may like to use a tack cloth on their ball. They must still be inspected by the referee to ensure they havent been doctored beyond league standards, but both teams will have their balls stamped so they remain separate during the game. The host team will supply balls for kicks that both teams will use. There will also be stricter curbs on taunting and objectionable conduct, including the verbal abuse of officials. Besides making pass interference subject to coaches challenge and review, there will be automatic reviews of all turnovers. The leagues board of governors must vote on all the proposed changes but Johnson says, historically, they have usually given their approval. But the one that did not get approved unanimously by the rules committee was the change regarding pass interference. Johnson says its one of the hardest calls for an official to make, given that theyre often far away from the spot where the play is being made and their view is sometimes blocked. Cheap France Jerseys Authentic Cheap Zambia Soccer Jerseys Cheap Wales Soccer Jerseys Cheap Venezuela Soccer Jerseys Cheap Uruguay Soccer Jerseys Cheap Ukraine Soccer Jerseys Cheap Turkey Soccer Jerseys Cheap Switzerland Soccer Jerseys Cheap Sweden Soccer Jerseys Cheap Spain Soccer Jerseys Cheap South Africa Soccer JerseysCheap Slovakia Soccer Jerseys Cheap Singapore Soccer Jerseys Cheap Senegal Soccer Jerseys Cheap Saudi Arabia Soccer Jerseys Cheap Russia Soccer Jerseys Cheap Romania Soccer Jerseys Cheap Portugal Soccer Jerseys Cheap Poland Soccer Jerseys Cheap Peru Soccer Jerseys ' ' '
Share:

Users

Newsfeed

  • No items