Canada Soccer: Women's team 'disrespected' as governing body reveals details of proposed pay deal

Canada's women protested against Canada Soccer at the SheBelieves Cup by wearing purple T-shirts with the phrase "enough is enough"

Janine Beckie says Canada players feel "disrespected" after details of its proposed collective bargaining deal were made public by its governing body with no notice.

The women's national team has been embroiled in a dispute with Canada Soccer (CSA) over equal pay.

Hours prior to the players appearing before Canada's parliament on Thursday, CSA revealed details of the proposed deal.

Beckie said it was "a bit of a shock".

"We feel quite disrespected by the way they went about their business this afternoon," the Portland Thorns forward told members of Canadian parliament.

"We believe what was talked about in good-faith bargaining between our players association and [Canada Soccer] should have stayed between the players association and the Canadian soccer association.

"And there were terms and numbers and pieces within their statement today that has not even been communicated to us. So that was a bit of a shock to us."

Canada Soccer (CSA) said the proposed bargaining deal would see both the men's and women's team paid equally for a 90-minute match and share competition prize money equally.

It would see Canada become the second-highest paid women's national team among Fifa's member nations, but CSA added it would require the pooling of women's and men's World Cup prize money, as well as continued negotiation and cooperation between itself, the men's and women's teams.

"It is time to get a deal done," said Earl Cochrane, Canada Soccer's general secretary, who added the organisation had been "negotiating in good faith".

After Beckie's remarks in parliament, a CSA spokesperson said: "Canadians deserve to know that Canada Soccer wants and is ready to deliver gender equity to our players.

"Throughout this process, our priority has been to negotiate privately, through our respective legal counsel, and finding the most responsible way to a resolution. We did that for months.

"Unfortunately in recent weeks, information was shared and circulated with media that failed to include full and important context."

The women's team's last agreement with CSA expired in 2021.

Last week, it reached an interim funding agreement with CSA that reflected the men's team's terms with game-by-game incentives and results-based compensation.

In February, the team called off a planned strike because of the governing body's threats of legal action, but they protested during the recent SheBelieves Cup by wearing purple T-shirts with the phrase "enough is enough" before their matches.

Canada's men went on strike in June 2022 after accusing CSA of "disrespect" over World Cup prize money and have said they "wholeheartedly support" the women's side.

The CSA spent $11m (£6.72m) on the men's programme in 2021 and $5.1m (£3.11m) on the women's programme.

Speaking in parliament at the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, record goalscorer Christine Sinclair said players had been "forced to negotiate in the dark".

"The success of the national teams is inspiring the entire country and the future should be brighter than ever," she said.

"However, as the popularity, interest and growth of the women's game has swept the globe, our most painstaking battle has been with our own federation."

Canada are ranked sixth in the women's world rankings and won Olympic gold in 2021.