TORONTO, ON–Canada Soccer President Nick Bontis has submitted his resignation with immediate effect hours are receiving a letter from the Presidents’ Forum demanding his resignation.
TSN obtained a copy of the letter, which says the Forum, consisting of the provincial and territorial soccer presidents in Canada, have lost faith in Bontis’ ability to lead the organization.
“With the unanimous support of all members of the Presidents’ Forum, I am requesting your resignation as president of Canada Soccer effective immediately,” Presidents’ Forum chair Kevin Topolniski wrote in the one-page letter. “The Presidents’ Forum, representing the member associations of Canada Soccer, is requesting your resignation due to non-confidence in your leadership of Canada Soccer.”
Hours later, Bontis would submit his resignation which was released at 3pm CT. Below are the contents of Bontis’s letter in part:
“Today, I have submitted my resignation, effective immediately, to Canada Soccer’s Board of Directors.
I want to thank the entire membership, our players, our sponsors and every Canadian soccer fan who continues to support the growth of soccer in our country.
Canada Soccer and both of our National Team Programs have the real potential to sign an historic collective bargaining agreement. Once signed, it will be a landmark deal that will set our nation apart from virtually every other FIFA Member Association. While I have been one of the biggest proponents of equalizing the competitive performance environment for our Women’s National Team, I will unfortunately not be leading this organization when it happens. I acknowledge that this moment requires change.”
Canada Soccer was under fire after threatening legal action against the Women’s National Team for threatening to strike before the SheBelieves Cup after a dispute over pay equity issues and budget cuts. The threat against the players and the CPSA, which was recognized by Canada Soccer in 2016 as the exclusive bargaining group for the women’s team, was made hours before Bontis and Cochrane were scheduled to meet with team player representatives.
The Women eventually decided to play at the SheBelieves Cup going 1-2-0, but had threatened future action in the future.
Months before the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup, the Men’s Team had struck before a friendly in Vancouver over the share of bonus payments following qualification–the men’s first since 1986.
Players on both national teams have also demanded an audit of Canada Soccer’s finances and a review of its media and sponsor contract with a private company called Canada Soccer Business, which is owned and operated by Canadian Premier League team owners.
It will be up to a future president of Canada Soccer to not just lead Canadian Soccer into the future, but being about labor peace between the federation and its national teams.
