The Canadian Soccer Players’ Association, which represents the Canadian women’s team, has filed a $40 million lawsuit against 15 current and former Canada Soccer board members, accusing them of “negligence and breach of fiduciary duty.”
At the heart of the lawsuit is the controversial agreement Canada Soccer signed with Canadian Soccer Business, which transfers Canada Soccer’s marketing and sponsorship rights to the CSB for an annual fee.
The lawsuit claims the SCS deal “has created and continues to create serious risk to Canada Soccer’s ability to fulfill its mandate.”
It continues: “In approving the CSB Agreement, the directors of Canada Soccer 2018 did not exercise prudence or good faith, nor did they demonstrate a reasonable belief that such approval would be in the best interests of Canada Soccer was.”
The allegations contained in the statement of claim could not be proven in court.
The lawsuit names the 2018 Canada Soccer board, of which five currently remain board members.
Those named include current president Charmaine Crooks and former presidents Nick Bontis and Steven Reed.
The statement of claim was filed Tuesday in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
Both the Canadian men’s and women’s teams are currently negotiating labor contracts with Canada Soccer.
The women’s previous contract expired at the end of 2021. The men are negotiating their first formal agreement in forming their own players’ association, the Canada Men’s National Soccer Team Players Association.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 21, 2024.
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