There has been talk for quite some time now about the “turf war” going on between the women’s players and FIFA, as well as the CSA (Canadian Soccer Association). The players want real grass, the businessmen want turf.
As of Jan 21, the group of players led by Abby Wambach have withdrawn their lawsuit. However, the specific reason has not yet been identified.
Could it have anything to do with threats certain players have received as to the consequences of not taking their name off of the lawsuit? For example, it is alleged that Mexican international Teresa Noyola was told she would be left off of the Mexican National team if she did not drop the lawsuit.
Among the other players alleged to have been threatened are French internationals Camile Abily and Bussaglia. Both players have since removed their names from the lawsuit.
We at The18 ask this: If this situation were reversed and Cristiano Ronaldo were the head of a lawsuit against FIFA, would they threaten to leave him off his respective team? Obviously not.
So, what was the real reason to ditch the lawsuit? Perhaps we will never know the answer to that. Perhaps, with the 2015 World Cup right around the corner, the players simply decided to focus on preparation for the Cup versus being distracted by legal action. Or maybe they just got tired of being bullied by the male-dominated FIFA team and couldn’t take it anymore.
Regardless of whether you view this latest turn of events as a loss or victory for women's soccer, it is clear that female players are taking a more proactive role in the governance of their sport. Like Wambach recently said, “I am hopeful that [this] marks the start of even greater activism to ensure fair treatment when it comes to women’s sports.”
