Stars Sue Organizers of Women's World Cup Over Use of Turf
Read more here (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/02/sports/soccer/womens-soccer-stars-sue-world-cup-organizers-over-artificial-turf.html?_r=0)
The jist of the article is this:
A group of the world's best female soccer players sued FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association on Wednesday, arguing that the plan to play next summer's Women's World Cup in Canada on artificial turf amounts to gender discrimination under Canadian law.
The filing seeks an order requiring that the tournament, scheduled to begin June 6, be played on natural grass fields. It also proposes possible resolutions that include installing grass fields on top of artificial ones and even relocating games to stadiums with grass surfaces.
"Men's World Cup tournament matches are played on natural grass while C.S.A. and FIFA are relegating female players to artificial turf," a lawyer for the players, Hampton Dellinger, said in a statement. "The difference matters: Plastic pitches alter how the game is played, pose unique safety risks and are considered inferior for international competition."
The group of players named in the filing consists of national team players from approximately a dozen countries, including the former world players of the year Abby Wambach of the United States and Nadine Angerer of Germany. Nearly every top contender for next year's World Cup title is represented, although the filing does not name any players from host Canada's national team.
Having played on Turf I can see why the women would not want play their WC on it. It changes the game completely. You go in for a tackle on grass and you just brush yourself off afterwards. You go in for a tackle on turf and you come up missing a nice layer of skin. Players won't go in for diving headers either for fear of the same thing.
FIFA have claimed there is no plan B and have told the players so. Players say boycotting is not an option and that is why they are suing.
I agree with the women. It's a double standard and unfair. Feel sorry for them as I know FIFA, and I suspect a lot of men on here, don't give two figs about them.
Absolute disgrace. Would like to know why on earth FIFA made this daft decision. Commercial interests and the greasing of palms could not possibly have come into it as we recognize FIFA as a well run, honest, and open organization. Suggest the women quit FIFA.
FIFA's an arse full stop
While this is a black eye for my country, in our defence the grass doesn't do well here, the cold saps the life out of it and it's very poor as a result. While I understand the complaints, we don't really have a choice here, and we can't get the stadiums built in time. I understand the complaints, but there's nothing we can do.
Its Canada. Summer is three weeks long. They need artificial turf.
The men ought to sue over a WC in Quatar.
Kobe Bryant tweeted a photo of Alex Morgan's legs after a match on turf.
/photo/1
Quote from: love4ffc on October 02, 2014, 11:41:00 PM
Having played on Turf I can see why the women would not want play their WC on it. It changes the game completely. You go in for a tackle on grass and you just brush yourself off afterwards. You go in for a tackle on turf and you come up missing a nice layer of skin. Players won't go in for diving headers either for fear of the same thing.
When last did you play on artificial turf, 20 years ago? Artificial turf today will not burn you. The biggest concern is that it's a lot harder surface then earth and therefore harder on legs, knees etc... It's used extensively in America though.
An absolute disgrace, and whilst Crazycottager makes a good reason why it logically can't be done, it beggers belief how Canada was chosen to host it, they must have known this would be an issue before hosting it.
I hope Fifa get's a huge fine for them being so complacent.
Artificial grass changes the game completely, even the best in the world struggle to adapt.
Quote from: NJFulham on October 03, 2014, 02:13:27 AM
Kobe Bryant tweeted a photo of Alex Morgan's legs after a match on turf.
/photo/1
It's Sydney Leroux, not Morgan, but yiiiikes.
The weather issue is a real thing, but that can probably be dealt with. Seattle plays on turf too, but when the USMNT played there last year, they put down sod for the game. (For a whole WC, they'd probably need to use a -lot- of sod, but money is no object for FIFA.)
Wales had to play there last match on a 4g pitch so it could be a loophole for Fifa. But think I'd rather play on that then a grass pitch that might be has hard as concrete
My son played on both artificial grass and the real stuff, from Green Bay, Wisconsin in the north to Bradenton, Florida in the south, and from Long Island, NY in the east to Lancaster, California in the west. According to him, there's a wide variety of fake grass out there, some of it is a lot more forgiving and easy on the body than other types. Having grown up in Canada, I can say for certain that real grass up there can't take the beating of more than a few games played on it each year. They had awful artificial turn at the Calgary football stadium at least as far back as 1976. I remember playing on a field hockey team in a game on that field and getting a horrible rash from a slide. It festered and oozed puss for weeks. Very painful, too. But the new stuff is supposed to be soft and nonabrasive. The country's growing season just can't accommodate real grass stressed from repeated use. But there is good fake turf out there. Probably a cost issue why they haven't adopted it. My first question would be: On what fields do the Canadian MNT play? If natural grass, then I totally agree with the plaintiffs in this suit. You also have regional climate disparities affecting available surfaces. Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan have harsher climates than, say, British Columbia or southern Ontario.
Quote from: YankeeJim on October 03, 2014, 01:30:21 AM
Its Canada. Summer is three weeks long. They need artificial turf.
The men ought to sue over a WC in Quatar.
agree the men should sue over Quatar
Quote from: Horse on October 03, 2014, 02:31:49 AM
Quote from: love4ffc on October 02, 2014, 11:41:00 PM
Having played on Turf I can see why the women would not want play their WC on it. It changes the game completely. You go in for a tackle on grass and you just brush yourself off afterwards. You go in for a tackle on turf and you come up missing a nice layer of skin. Players won't go in for diving headers either for fear of the same thing.
When last did you play on artificial turf, 20 years ago? Artificial turf today will not burn you. The biggest concern is that it's a lot harder surface then earth and therefore harder on legs, knees etc... It's used extensively in America though.
Actually four years ago in a coed adult tournament. It was the latest and greatest of the turf at that time. It had little black bb's in the turf grass to soften it. It even had this so called cooling system underneath it that was suppose to keep the surface 15 degrees cooler then ambient temp. Neither the black bb's nor the cooling system worked.
The turf was hotter then then the ambient temp by a long shot. You couldn't stand on the stuff with bare feet yet could stand on the hot concrete with no problem.
The bb's did little to soften the turf. I played in the back four that day and in goal. I walked away from that game with road rash on both legs,a torn rotator cuff and a severed tendon in the shoulder.
Let's just say not a fan of turf.
Quote from: crazycottager on October 03, 2014, 12:44:14 AM
While this is a black eye for my country, in our defence the grass doesn't do well here, the cold saps the life out of it and it's very poor as a result. While I understand the complaints, we don't really have a choice here, and we can't get the stadiums built in time. I understand the complaints, but there's nothing we can do.
CC - I understand why they play on turf in Canada. Have no problem with that. The thing is this the WC for women and turf will have an effect on how the game is played. So for me I'd like to know why did Canada bid on the games with artificial turf in the first place? Why didn't they plan for indoor stadiums with grass before bidding on the WC and why on Earth did FIFA accept or even entertain a bid with artificial turf?
Russia has the men WC. Will they also be playing on turf fields?
Reminder this is not a dig at you or Canada. Love Canada and have visited it often.
Quote from: love4ffc on October 03, 2014, 05:49:48 PM
Quote from: Horse on October 03, 2014, 02:31:49 AM
Quote from: love4ffc on October 02, 2014, 11:41:00 PM
Having played on Turf I can see why the women would not want play their WC on it. It changes the game completely. You go in for a tackle on grass and you just brush yourself off afterwards. You go in for a tackle on turf and you come up missing a nice layer of skin. Players won't go in for diving headers either for fear of the same thing.
When last did you play on artificial turf, 20 years ago? Artificial turf today will not burn you. The biggest concern is that it's a lot harder surface then earth and therefore harder on legs, knees etc... It's used extensively in America though.
Actually four years ago in a coed adult tournament. It was the latest and greatest of the turf at that time. It had little black bb's in the turf grass to soften it. It even had this so called cooling system underneath it that was suppose to keep the surface 15 degrees cooler then ambient temp. Neither the black bb's nor the cooling system worked.
The turf was hotter then then the ambient temp by a long shot. You couldn't stand on the stuff with bare feet yet could stand on the hot concrete with no problem.
The bb's did little to soften the turf. I played in the back four that day and in goal. I walked away from that game with road rash on both legs,a torn rotator cuff and a severed tendon in the shoulder.
Let's just say not a fan of turf.
Hmmn..... age had nothing to do with the injuries? :005:
Quote from: Nero on October 03, 2014, 07:08:47 AM
Wales had to play there last match on a 4g pitch so it could be a loophole for Fifa. But think I'd rather play on that then a grass pitch that might be has hard as concrete
I have not seen a 4g pitch yet. I have talked a friend though who got to attend a coaching class in England. He said it was nothing like what I have seen in the States. Would be interesting to see and feel if there is a difference in a 4g pitch.
Quote from: YankeeJim on October 03, 2014, 06:02:20 PM
Quote from: love4ffc on October 03, 2014, 05:49:48 PM
Quote from: Horse on October 03, 2014, 02:31:49 AM
Quote from: love4ffc on October 02, 2014, 11:41:00 PM
Having played on Turf I can see why the women would not want play their WC on it. It changes the game completely. You go in for a tackle on grass and you just brush yourself off afterwards. You go in for a tackle on turf and you come up missing a nice layer of skin. Players won't go in for diving headers either for fear of the same thing.
When last did you play on artificial turf, 20 years ago? Artificial turf today will not burn you. The biggest concern is that it's a lot harder surface then earth and therefore harder on legs, knees etc... It's used extensively in America though.
Actually four years ago in a coed adult tournament. It was the latest and greatest of the turf at that time. It had little black bb's in the turf grass to soften it. It even had this so called cooling system underneath it that was suppose to keep the surface 15 degrees cooler then ambient temp. Neither the black bb's nor the cooling system worked.
The turf was hotter then then the ambient temp by a long shot. You couldn't stand on the stuff with bare feet yet could stand on the hot concrete with no problem.
The bb's did little to soften the turf. I played in the back four that day and in goal. I walked away from that game with road rash on both legs,a torn rotator cuff and a severed tendon in the shoulder.
Let's just say not a fan of turf.
Hmmn..... age had nothing to do with the injuries? :005:
It probably did... :doh:...and hind sight is always 20/40 in my case.
Had a thought. If it's going to be a high quality artificle pitch or a grass pitch as bad as a field, as people think one in Canada could be, wouldn't it be better to play on the artifical pitch?
Quote from: Berserker on October 03, 2014, 06:07:30 PM
Had a thought. If it's going to be a high quality artificle pitch or a grass pitch as bad as a field, as people think one in Canada could be, wouldn't it be better to play on the artifical pitch?
Good question.
