Players file lawsuit in Canada over fake turf at 2015 Women's World Cup

Anne M. Peterson, The Associated Press Published Wednesday, October 1, 2014 4:03PM EDT Last Updated Wednesday, October 1, 2014 8:20PM EDT

A group of elite players has filed a lawsuit in Canada challenging plans to play the 2015 Women's World Cup on artificial turf.

The players, led by U.S. women's national team forward Abby Wambach, filed Wednesday in the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal in Toronto, lawyer Hampton Dellinger told The Associated Press.

The women claim that playing the sport's premier tournament on fake grass amounts to gender discrimination under Canadian law. Their male counterparts have always played the World Cup on natural grass surfaces, and will for the foreseeable future.

The players say they believe there is a greater risk of injury on turf and that an artificial surface impacts both how the game is played and how the ball behaves.

Among the athletes joining Wambach are U.S. teammate Alex Morgan, Germany's Nadine Angerer, Brazil's Fabiana Da Silva Simoes and Spain's Veronica Boquete.

"The gifted athletes we represent are determined not to have the sport they love be belittled on their watch. Getting an equal playing field at the World Cup is a fight female players should not have to wage but one from which they do not shrink. In the end, we trust that fairness and equality will prevail over sexism and stubbornness," Dellinger said in a statement.

The Canadian Soccer Association issued a brief statement in response.

"Our lawyers will be reviewing any and all applications or information related to this. We will refrain from any comment until there has been a thorough review."

On Tuesday, a FIFA official visiting Canada in advance of the tournament next year said there were no plans to reconsider using artificial turf.

Read the rest here:
Players file lawsuit in Canada over fake turf at 2015 Women's World Cup