Canada women’s soccer team ‘deflated’ as labour dispute overshadows key tournament

Christine Sinclair and other team leaders say they will play the SheBelieves Cup in protest, but will boycott the next international window unless progress is made in labour talks.

Captain Christine Sinclair says the ongoing labour dispute with Canada Soccer has left her and other team representatives “exhausted and deflated” as they prepare to face the top-ranked Americans in the opening game of the SheBelieves Cup on Thursday.

At a time when the on-field showdown with their archrival should be front and centre, the women say they are having to fight for equality and transparency off the field.

“As a team we are just at our wits’ end,” Sinclair told reporters Tuesday in a virtual availability from Florida. “This could be our most important fight that we ever have as national team players and it’s one we’re determined to win.”

Added forward Janine Beckie: “It’s pretty disgusting that we’re having to ask just to be treated equally. It’s a fight that women all over the world have to partake in every single day but quite frankly we’re really sick of it. And it’s something that now I don’t even get disappointed by any more. I just get angry about. Because it’s time, it’s 2023.

“We won the damn Olympic Games and we’re about to go to the World Cup with a team who could win. So we expect to be prepared in the best way possible to go and win a World Cup.”

The U.S. women, who have already fought this fight, have expressed their support for the Canadian team, Sinclair and Beckie said.

The sixth-ranked Canadian women, upset that their grievances have not been addressed by their governing body, downed tools Friday night and said they would not take part in the four-team tournament. But they reluctantly returned when Canada Soccer threatened legal action against them Saturday.

The women say they will play the SheBelieves Cup in protest, but will boycott the next international window unless progress is made. Sinclair said the team is still “talking about any planned protest on the field” at Thursday’s game.