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Canada Soccer has confirmed that the match was canceled less than two hours before the scheduled start
Fans showed up for the friendly match Canada-Panama, scheduled for BC Place on Sunday, only to find that the match was canceled. Photo by NIK PROKAYLO / PNG
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Dozens of desperate fans raged around BBC Place on Sunday afternoon, with some unaware that the World Cup warm-up match between Canada and Panama had been canceled until they found the front door closed.
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The match was canceled after Canadian players refused to participate in the friendly match. Canada Soccer confirmed the cancellation shortly after 2 p.m. The match was to start at 16:00
There was no security guard or anyone to tell the fans that the game was off.
Thirteen-year-old Aiden Eyre had to be a boy with a ball in a game. He rated his disappointment at nine out of ten.
Aiden Eyre, in blue, 11, with family. Aiden was to be the boy with the ball at the canceled football match between Canada and Panama at BC Place on Sunday, June 5, 2022. jpg
Planning for friendly matches at BC Place was difficult from the start. The Canadian team was originally scheduled to play Iran, but the opponent was dropped after criticism of the downing of a civilian plane from Iran two years ago, killing 85 Canadians and permanent residents.
The cancellation in the last minute of Sunday’s match – in which Panama stepped up to replace Iran – was due to demands from Canadian players for a bigger reduction in World Cup prizes.
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Rick Westhead of TSN said earlier that the national football organization offers about 10 percent of the revenue to players who want pay in the 40 percent range.
The players apologized to both the Panamanian team and the Canadians for the decision in an open letter on Sunday. They said they had been trying to negotiate a contract with Canada Soccer since March to no avail.
Football fans stand in front of BC Place Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Photo by NIK PROKAYLO / PNG
“We want to work with our organization, but relations have been strained for years,” the players said in the letter. “And now, Canada Soccer does not respect our team and jeopardizes our efforts to raise standards and effectively advance in the game in Canada.
“We hoped that the ranking of this team would bring a level of respect and financial opportunities that could raise the standards and opportunities for the next generation of players in our country and change the trajectory of football in Canada forever.”
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In the last few years, our men’s national football team:
He traveled all over Central America during a pandemic. It is played at -20 degrees wind. Qualified for World Cup.
I support the players. The greedy bastards in Canada Soccer responsible for this must resign.
– Sid Seixeiro (@Sid_Seixeiro) June 5, 2022
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Brooks Raymond drives a match with his young son from Abbotsford.
“It’s disgusting whatever they go through,” Raymond said.
“I understand you have to fight for what you think you deserve, but you don’t do it two hours before.”
Mahde Dareshiri and his two friends were sitting on the steps at BC Place, wondering what to do with the evening.
“They are going to the World Cup and they have to play as many matches as possible,” Dareshiri said. “It should focus on that, not on how much money they can make from this stupid friendly match.
“I heard that the players are on strike because they are not being paid enough. This is a national team, half of them are already millionaires, they have a game in two days. Panama is already here.
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“Practice, play your game and then go on strike. And respect the fans and Panama. ”
Fans are standing in front of BC Place Stadium after the friendly match between Canada and Panama was canceled. Photo by NIK PROKAYLO / PNG
George Hernandez traveled to Vancouver from Surrey with his daughter and two friends to watch the match, paying $ 35 per ticket.
He realized that it was canceled only when he saw that the entrance gates were closed.
“They have to play because they love the game,” he said.
On Sunday night, Canadian Football President Dr Nick Bontis said he was very disappointed with the men’s national team’s decision not to play.
“First of all, we would like to apologize to all our Canadian football fans and confirm our gratitude to you and your continued support, and I am sorry that this match did not take place today,” Bontis said.
He said Canadian football worked with the players to find a fair and just agreement.
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The players do not agree and just before the match was canceled, they published a letter to Canadian football fans outlining their position, emphasizing the desire for transparency and review of the agreement with Canada Soccer Business.
The men’s team is looking for 40 percent of the prize pool and a comprehensive package for friends and family for Qatar.
“We are ready to accept an offer from one side (players) and an offer that we think is fair; “It’s fair to women, which is 30 percent fair to men when it comes to sharing World Cup awards that we’ve compared to nations around the world, which we believe is fair,” Bontis said.
“I am a fan of the players and what they have achieved for this country; we have surpassed sports in this country. I am a fan of what women have done and how they go beyond sports in this country.
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Canada reached the 2022 FIFA World Cup, finishing first in the Concacaf final qualifying group ahead of Mexico and the United States. This is the first time Canada has qualified for the Men’s World Cup since its only previous appearance in Mexico in 1986, where it lost all three matches and failed to score.
The cancellation of the match against Panama is the latest saga for the men’s national team on the eve of the World Cup, which will be held from November 21 to December 18 in Qatar. Canada was included in Group F of the tournament with 32 teams from Belgium, Croatia and Morocco.
Watch the Soccer Canada press conference on Sunday afternoon here:
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And here is the full open letter from the players:
– With files from Patrick Johnston and Derek Van Diest, Postmedia News
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