A group of nine U.S. senators on Thursday renewed their calls for FIFA to reach a compromise with top international women’s soccer players who have filed a lawsuit against the organization over its decision to play 2015 Women’s World Cup matches on artificial turf.
Players including American star Abby Wambach and Brazilian great Marta filed a lawsuit against FIFA in a Canadian court (Canada is hosting the 2015 World Cup), alleging that FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association violated human rights laws that protect against gender discrimination when they decided to hold the Cup on artificial surfaces. The women assert that it constitutes discrimination because FIFA would not hold a men’s World Cup on turf; neither a men’s nor women’s Cup has been played on turf, and the next two men’s tournaments are scheduled to take place on grass.
The letter from the nine senators, led by Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), follows up on a previous letter sent by 13 senators in November that called on FIFA to change its stance on artificial turf for the 2015 World Cup in Canada. FIFA has since stood by its decision, saying it has “no plan B.”
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