Shelina Zadorsky Adamant Players Will Not Back Down In Dispute Against Canada Soccer

Tottenham Hotspur captain, Shelina Zadorsky spoke for all of the Canadian women’s national team players when she said the squad will not back down in their demands for better working conditions despite being compelled by their federation, Canada Soccer, to play in this month’s SheBelieves Cup.

On Friday night, the Canadian Soccer Players’ Association (CSPA) said in a statement released on social media that the senior women’s national team, the reigning Olympic champions, would be withdrawing their labor due to their concerns over funding and compensation as they prepare to play in this summer’s Women’s World Cup.

Amid a list of demands, CSPA cited a cut in spending on the women’s national team, currently ranked 6th in the world, which has resulted in fewer training camps with smaller squads of players and staff and the inability of the federation to organize a home match for the team before the World Cup. They claimed a year of negotiations had failed to reach a satisfactory conclusion and were now calling to be given the same level of support the Canadian men’s team received last year in preparation for their World Cup.

This withrawal of labor meant the players would not have made themselves available to participate in the lucrative SheBelieves Cup mini-tournament starting this week in Orlando involving the world champions, the United States, the South American champions, Brazil and Japan. However the following day, CSPA posted another statement claiming that were now being forced to withdraw their proposed strike action after being compelled by Canada Soccer under threat of legal action against the players.

In a statement released on Saturday night, Canada Soccer said it “respects the players’ right to organize. The players, while having taken job action, were not and are not in a legal strike position under Ontario labor law. Canada Soccer was not prepared to jeopardize the SheBelieves Cup tournament (and) the preparation it would afford the Women’s National Team for the upcoming FIFA World Cup.”

They added that “Canada Soccer is heartened that the Women’s National Team Players will play as it committed.” Speaking to the media yesterday, Zadorsky, part of Canada’s Olympic Gold Medal winning squad, saw things differently. “I think no one expected to get the response that you’re going to be sued as a player by your own federation. So you don’t expect that. In hindsight, anything legal needs to be well prepared, through lawyers etc.”

“Unfortunately, we’re in a position where just for our own well-being, and financial well-being, we as players are playing in the tournament. You know, we’ve taken a stand and we’re not going to back down from that obviously. In hindsight, to make a proper strike, it needs to go through certain loopholes so I think we’ve learned from that. Ultimately, we’ll be playing in the tournament and we’re still coming strong with our list of demands. That’s not going away. Canada Soccer knows they’ll be more meetings.”

“I love playing for Canada, that’s my pride and joy and I’m proud to do so but I want to play for an association that is looking to the future because the whole point is to inspire the next generation and leave the program better than we found it so we’re going to fight for that and we’re going to keep going with our demands. We also have the men’s national team’s support which is really good. We’re a top nation, we just want to prepare the way we can.”

“This is not what we want as a national team. We’re on the biggest stage and we want to prepare the best we possibly can so we’re just asking for equal preparation to perform the best we can. We just want a sustainable future for our youth programs and both our senior national teams.”

The Canadian players have received support on social media from some members of the United States Women’s National Team, their opponents in their opening match at the SheBelieves Cup on Thursday in Orlando. In light of this, I asked Zadorsky if there might be a joint-show of solidarity at the game from both sets of players. She told me, “as far as I know the US want to play the game. It’s on their home soil, they’ve prepped, they want the fans, and want to play.”

“As much as I appreciate the support from the players who’ve done so publicly and support us, I know they do, they’ve been through this battle themselves with their own federation and I really appreciate that support, but at the end of the day I understand they want to play the game. So I’m not sure in terms of what we could do together. But I know most of them are supporting us.”

Zadorksy who has represented Canada for eight years and could win her 100th international cap in 2023 admits playing for her country this month could prove bittersweet. “l always do my duties. I’m a footballer, I want to win, I want to compete. That athlete in me, I’m ready to go out at all times.”

“This time, it’s a bit of a heavy heart. I’ll be ready to my job. Under these circumstances, obviously it’s a bit forced but that’s the way it is and we’ll have to go from here and be able to ask for our demands. If we can’t strike right now, we figure out the right time, we figure out the right next steps to ensure the program’s moving in the right direction.”

The federation reiterated that “Canada Soccer has committed to negotiating a comprehensive collective agreement with both of the player associations of the Women’s and Men’s National Teams. That agreement, once concluded, will be an historic deal that will deliver real change and pay equity in Canada Soccer. It is a goal worth getting right.”