Canadian Women’s soccer team ends strike, cites threat of legal action as reason

After just a day of being absent from training, the Canadian Women’s Soccer team has called off its strike, citing threats of legal action as a reason to do the same.

Taking to Twitter, Team Captain Christine Sinclair stated, “To be clear. We are being forced back to work for the short term. This is not over. We will continue to fight for everything we deserve and we will win. The She Believes is being played in protest.”

To be clear. We are being forced back to work for the short term. This is not over. We will continue to fight for everything we deserve and we will win. The She Believes is being played in protest. https://t.co/1CmXU3CiYp

— Christine Sinclair (@sincy12) February 12, 2023

“We will continue to demand more. Lasting change is a fight we’re in for the long haul,” forward Janine Beckie added.

Canada Soccer, the governing body, told the women’s team that the strike would be unlawful and that the organization may take legal action against the team, according to a team statement.

“They told us that if we did not return to work — and did not commit today to playing in Thursday’s game against the United States — they would not only take legal action to force us back to the pitch, but would consider taking steps to collect what could be millions of dollars in damages from our Players’ Association and from each of the individual players currently in camp…As individual players who have received no compensation yet for any of our work for Canada Soccer in 2022, we cannot afford the risks that personal action against us by Canada Soccer will create. Because of this, we have advised Canada Soccer that we will return to training [Sunday] and will play in the SheBelieves Cup as scheduled,” the statement read.

“We continue to believe that Canada Soccer needs to do more to support our programs and our players. And we continue to believe that unless we stand up together and demand more, nothing will ever change,” the statement further read.