Players Retain Legal Counsel in Fight Against Artificial Turf at 2015 Women’s World Cup

[Joe MacCarthy]

The easiest solution, and probably the only possible solution, to the players' demands would be to move the tournament to the United States.

They can have it, because if we have to kiss US and Euro-ass to stage it, I'd rather lose it.

[rob.notenboom]

It begins -

http://bit.ly/1xFzmih

[mtlfan]

FIFA mandates that all fields used in a tournament be the same viz. turf or grass.  If some must be turf, then all must be turf.  Saputo Stadium could only be used if all other stadiums had grass, as well.

 

The U20 Women's tournament was played on both grass (BMO Field) and turf. There was no good reason not to use Saputo Stadium. 

[king1010]

FIFA mandates that all fields used in a tournament be the same viz. turf or grass.  If some must be turf, then all must be turf.  Saputo Stadium could only be used if all other stadiums had grass, as well.

 

2007 u20 mens was played on different surfaces. all grass in the west, all turf in the east

[Blackdude]

FIFA mandates that all fields used in a tournament be the same viz. turf or grass.  If some must be turf, then all must be turf.  Saputo Stadium could only be used if all other stadiums had grass, as well.

 

It is meant for senior tournaments like both the Men's and Women's World Cup.

[jpg75]

If there is a mandate that holds the WWC to a higher standard than the mens U20 then maybe we should stop comparimg the two?

[rob.notenboom]

If there is a mandate that holds the WWC to a higher standard than the mens U20 then maybe we should stop comparimg the two?

Yes that's a good point.

[rkomar]

It is meant for senior tournaments like both the Men's and Women's World Cup.

 

Okay, thanks to you and the others for correcting me.  I was wrong about the u20 tournaments.

[terpfan68]

Rip out the turf and put in clay with a few blades of grass if the ruling says no artificial turf. DON'T let Abbey steal the wc for the US.

[-Hammer-]

Honestly, to call this discrimination is a joke. Professional men's soccer teams across the world play on turf, FIFA has a rating system and explicit rules that allow for turf, it's part of the game now and it's only going to continue to become more prevalent in the game due to costs and climate.

 

Here's the other deal, how are they going to say "Oh this is discrimination" when FIFA and the CSA can point to the Pan Am Games and say "Uhh...no. Major international tournament, both men's and women's on turf"

 

Frankly, I hope what comes of this is FIFA goes out of there way to say "All the associations, coaches and players need to taken notice, we will have men's world cup matches on high quality turf, sometime in the next two decades. It's the way it's going to be, consider this notice."

[The Ref]

I trust that Blatter will say out with the turf and in with the grass.  "Soccer is a kick on the grass".  Women deserve it.

[madmonte]

Ya know, what's really sad is that this negative publicity won't exactly help us land the 2026 world cup.

[rob.notenboom]

I'm not sure ... FIFA might like the publicity, even revel in it. More controversy = more eyes. With the men's WC there always seems to be some controversy, it draws attn, then goes away once the tournament starts. Negative or not, more ppl are watching now.

[munseahawk]

I'd think a lot more highly of this racket if the majority of the players who signed this (US) didn't play in a domestic league where 5 of the pitches used are turf. (Seattle, Portland, Rochester, Chicago, and Boston).

[Ruud]

I'd think a lot more highly of this racket if the majority of the players who signed this (US) didn't play in a domestic league where 5 of the pitches used are turf. (Seattle, Portland, Rochester, Chicago, and Boston).

 

Don't know why it matters?  Plenty of guys play on turf as well, but no one is subjecting them to turf in the WC.  Isn't that the point?  It's one thing to ply a trade, it's another to have to play on shite turf for the biggest stage for their game.

 

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/kelly-artificial-turf-lawsuit-is-more-about-hurt-feelings/article20903635/

 

Cathal gets it right - the girls' feelings are hurt.  They don't matter (as much) as men, and they have no leverage.  There is no Ronaldo saying "I'm not coming"

No one is going to boycott the WC because it's on turf.  Kelly is dead-on when he questions why they don't threaten a boycott.  That would really get them some publicity.  And then you'd have some teams getting very worried.  It would, however, take some big names (bigger than Wambach, who is on the fringe) to make that happen.

 

To be fair to the opposing side of the argument, we are going to give them a good tournament, with good fans, and good publicity.  We will likely sell (or give away) more tickets than any other WWC. 

 

But I re-iterate that my views as a fan don't matter one bit, and the fact that FIFA does nothing for the fan's viewing pleasure in the middle of summer is also a tragedy.  Not for everyone mind you, but for those of us who have to endure the big O.

 

good luck to the girls.  Hope FIFA capitulates and drops a few million from their bunker of money in Zurich...mostly because they can.

[jpg75]

Ya know, what's really sad is that this negative publicity won't exactly help us land the 2026 world cup.

Exactly. Everyone is getting their backs up cuz how dare a bunch of butchy feminists ask for fair treatment! But no one is asking why the CSA would go amateur hour for this tournament when we're using it to audition for the men's WC. The point isn't the lawsuit people, it's how we come across showcasing ourselves for the FIFA overlords.

[Lord Bob]

Unless we KickStartered one and a half billion dollars between us to build a few new retractable-roof stadiums there was never going to be a large-scale FIFA tournament in Canada on permanent grass. Never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever.

 

The options were 1) we host on artificial turf and attract the scorn of short-sighted scumbags 2) we don't host a World Cup.

 

I'm looking forward to hosting a World Cup.

[The Ref]

Why is the turf green? is it to pretend it is grass?  If the CSA and FIFA like women soccer so much, then perhaps they should use pink turf.  Demoting the women world cup to be played on plastic surfaces will do little to prosper their game and it is a clear indication of their true disrespectful feelings towards women. 

 

I am surprised to see so many voyageurs in this thread belittling women, their game and us who support them.

[Lord Bob]

I am surprised to see so many voyageurs in this thread belittling women, their game and us who support them.

I'm sorry, but I spend thousands of dollars of my own money to follow the women around, I have the scientific evidence on my side to say that artificial turf is safe, and if you're going to accuse me of "belittling women" because I'm not trapped in a 20th-century world of leather balls and natural grass then how fucking dare you.

[The Ref]

I'm sorry, but I spend thousands of dollars of my own money to follow the women around, I have the scientific evidence on my side to say that artificial turf is safe, and if you're going to accuse me of "belittling women" because I'm not trapped in a 20th-century world of leather balls and natural grass then how fucking dare you.

Classy, you made my point.

[Lord Bob]

I'm sorry if I can't aspire to the class of someone calling passionate supporters of women's soccer sexist because they're not Luddites.

[rob.notenboom]

I am surprised to see so many voyageurs in this thread belittling women, their game and us who support them.

I've seen many more ppl in this thread asking legitimate questions and discussing the lawsuit and asking a simple question and discussing the validity of the lawsuit is not belittling anyone. Personally I think the game is a better game on grass so from primarily an esthetic viewpoint I would rather the tournament be staged on grass fields but in the end I still think it will be a great tournament.

I'd also like to echo what Ben said. I spent a lot of money this year travelling to women's games in Winnipeg, Toronto, and Edmonton (two on grass, two on artificial surface, all fantastic btw). So when you say 'us who support them' you are also talking about many ppl who have criticized the legal action.

Having a negative view of or criticizing the lawsuit does not mean that you are not a supporter of women's soccer.

[-Hammer-]

I trust that Blatter will say out with the turf and in with the grass.  "Soccer is a kick on the grass".  Women deserve it.

 

Except on August 4th this year he basically stated Turf is the future of soccer.

 

 

Not to say he won't double back on the stance, but it doesn't seem likely, especially when you consider how greedy FIFA is and the economics of grass vs turf.

[Cheeta]

LOL.

 

Okay.  Conspiracy theroy time.

 

Maybe it's just me but this all just feels like some hair-brained scheme trying to build up a narrative, an excuse, for why the the United States Womens National Team with its out-of-this-world budgets fails YET AGAIN to win the World Cup.

 

You know, a deflection.  Not a very good one admittedly but you work with what you got.

[The Ref]

Tom Hanks should be a Voyageur.  http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/tom-hanks-joins-women-s-world-cup-grass-debate-1.2744277