A group of womens soccer players have filed a gender discrimination lawsuit in Toronto against FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association over their plans to play the 2015 Womens World Cup on artificial turf. The complaint was filed Wednesday morning with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, TSN has confirmed, days after FIFA officials started to inspect the six venues that will host the June 6-July 5 competition. The tournament will be held in Ottawa, Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Moncton and Montreal. The complainants include Abby Wambach of the U.S. and Germanys Nadine Angerer, FIFA players of the year for 2012 and 2013, respectively. The players who filed the complaint charge FIFA is discriminating against women by having the tournament on artificial turf since the 2014 FIFA World Cup for men in Brazil was played on grass. Some professional football leagues, including Major League Soccer and some FIFA World Cup matches, are played on artificial turf. Canada won the right to host the 2015 Games when the only other finalist, Zimbabwe, withdrew from consideration. The leaders of CSA and FIFA are embarrassing the game and, even more, themselves, Hampton Dellinger, a lawyer for the complainants, wrote in a statement. 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. Ted Charney, a Toronto lawyer who has argued cases before the tribunal, said he doubts the women would win their case – or that it would be decided before next June. Soccer officials have said natural grass surfaces arent practical because some of the stadiums used for the World Cup are also scheduled to be used next summer for preseason and regular season Canadian Football League games. Its tough to ensure a grass field is in good shape for soccer the day after a football game, the officials have said. Cases at the tribunal are not expedited very often, Charney said. I think this is a question of availability. If this was a mens tournament being played here at the same time and they, too, were playing on turf, then this becomes a question of availability, and I dont see how theres a violation. But theres no downside since the loser at the tribunal does not have to cover legal costs for the other party, he said. Its a free ride, a chance for the women to make a political statement. David Wright, another lawyer for the players, told TSN that there are methods to overlay grass on top of turf, and that FIFAs overall costs to outfitting fields with natural grass wouldnt amount to more than a few million dollars. Wright also said that no Canadian women are among the complainants because some worry about what the CSA might do after the fact. There is some concern on the part of players of going against the soccer association, Wright said. There could be various sorts of reprisals. The CSA controls the future of these players. Georgia Trifonidis, a spokeswoman for the tribunal, said that it can take several months once an application is received for it to be referred to a mediator. Mediation can take at least several months, and if the case is not settled there, it moves to a hearing by an adjudicator. Once a final decision is made, and the adjudicator can, indeed, demand the CSA and FIFA make changes to eliminate gender discrimination, either of the parties can still file a reconsideration request with the tribunal or take the case to Ontario Superior Court. . Thornton emerged as one of the leagues best defensive ends against the run in 2013. The former undrafted free agent from Division II Southern Arkansas led Philadelphias linemen with 78 tackles and had one sack. . -- Scottie Wilbekin sat on the bench for the final minute, holding a bag of ice against his left knee.
http://www.custompackersjersey.com/cust ... r.html.The third-seeded Murray, who won here in 2009, will face seventh-seeded Kevin Anderson of South Africa next on the indoor hard court. .com) - Nicklas Backstrom scored a pair of goals and Alex Ovechkin notched a highlight-reel tally, leading the Washington Capitals to a 4-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday at the Prudential Center. . Darren Collison and Blake Griffin scored 23 points apiece and the Clippers beat the Suns 112-108 Wednesday night, their fourth win in a row and 17th in the last 19 games.OTTAWA -- Carey Price called it one of his best performances and with good reason. The Montreal Canadiens goaltender was outstanding, making 40 saves in a 5-4 overtime win over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday. Without Prices heroics this one would have had a very different outcome. "The reason for tonights win is Carey Price," said Canadiens coach Michel Therrien. "He kept us in the game through two periods. I thought he was extraordinary." Price made a number of big saves and at one point had many of the Senators wondering if they would find a way to beat him. "He was the difference in the game," said Bobby Ryan. "When he saved me I thought this is going to get ugly here and then he made the ten-beller on Stone right afterwards. I just got lucky enough to get another opportunity right away." Through two periods Price had faced 38 shots and admitted he felt good despite having to be so busy. "It was fine," said Price. "Thats what we train for all year." The Canadiens got off to a great start by jumping out to a 3-0 lead, but four unanswered goals allowed the Senators to start the third leading 4-3. After giving up the lead in the second Price said little needed to be said. "There was a few things said, but weve all heard those speeches before," said Price. "We knew what needed to be done. Our leaders took over and did a good job." The Canadiens caught a break on the tying goal midway through the third. Tomas Plekanec broke in alone and while Craig Anderson made the initial save, defenceman Jared Cowen watched in horror as the puck went in off his skate. "I couldnt even get out of the way because I was stopping," said Cowen. "Just one of those things where you feel like youre helpless. In the end its just one of those terrible feelings you feel in the pit of your stomach." The game then went to overtime where Subban scored 23 seconds into the extra period as his shot trickled through Andersons legs. Despite the loss the Senators felt they played well and showed a lot of resiliency. "I thought we did a lot of good things," said Ryan. "I thought we controllled the pace most of the game.dddddddddddd Its a loss and its a negative in that regard, but I think everyone in the room can take a lot of positives from it." Plekanec, Max Pacioretty and David Desharnais also scored for the Canadiens (27-16-5), who defeated the Senators for the first time this season (1-2-0). Clarke MacArthur, Erik Karlsson, Ryan and Kyle Turris scored for Ottawa (21-18-9). Anderson stopped 18 shots. Two goals in 84 seconds late in the second allowed Ottawa to grab its first lead of the game. A great pass by MacArthur allowed Turris to beat Price over the shoulder, sending the 19,217 on hand into a frenzy and give the Senators a 4-3 lead. Trailing 3-2 to start the second, Ottawa outshot the Canadiens 19-10 in the second and tied the game on the 37th shot as Ryan beat Price with a wrist shot. Minutes earlier Price had made outstanding saves on Ryan and Mark Stone. "(Price) had a great second period," said MacArthur. "He did a great job so you have to give him credit, but on our side we have to find a way to win those games." The Canadiens got off to a quick start taking a 3-0 lead early in the first, but with two late first-period goals the Senators were able to make a game of it. Plekanec opened the scoring with a short-handed goal on Montreals first shot. Pacioretty made it 2-0 with a power-play goal at the 14-minute mark as he roofed it over Andersons shoulder and just over one minute later Desharnais made it 3-0 as he was allowed to walk in alone and drew Anderson out to have a wide open net. Ottawas comeback started at the 17-minute mark as Karlsson found MacArthur in the middle who then tipped a shot through Prices legs. Just over a minute later Karlsson scored his 11th of the season off a pass from Jason Spezza to draw the Senators within one. Notes: D Patrick Wiercioch and D Joe Corvo were a healthy scratch for the Senators. RW Chris Neil was a late scratch, he has missed the last six games with a lower body injury. Matt Kassian took his place in the lineup. D Francis Bouillon was a healthy scratch for the Canadiens. Montreal is playing the first of a four-game road trip. ' ' '
