Football Canada has withdrawn their support for the IFAF Women’s Worlds in Saint John after one year and one year before the tournament. Unofficially they have said that the tournament was too big a risk. The Host Committee had just achieved 68% of the funding needed and had just received a very positive economic assessment by the government of NB, with several big sponsors on the cusp.
The risk to Football Canada was if the tournament did not happen, there was a penalty to pay. This was not the same direction they took in 2011 and funded the mens program by borrowing $250k to prevent a penalty from the IFAF.
This is a clear slap in the face to Womens football in canada. It shows that our Country does not care about its Women's sports and that it would rather just cancel this important tournament rather than promote it and show that we are a leader in the world for women's tackle football.
Canada brought home the Silver Medal in the first tournament in 2010 which was held in Sweden. That year the women needed to pay out of their own pockets to travel to that tournament to make history. That same year the mens team had their full trip paid for by the same association that did not pay for the women.
There is evidence of gender bias. We as women will not just stand by as we continually get pushed aside. We work hard for our sport and we overcome great challenges to make it happen. We will not stand for this injustice.
WOMEN UNITE TO SHOW CANADA THAT WE DESERVE TO HOST THIS HISTORIC EVENT. WOMEN ARE CAPABLE OF PLAYING TACKLE FOOTBALL!! SIGN THIS PETITION AND STAND UP FOR OUR RIGHTS AS ATHLETES AND WOMEN!