Hamilton’s Nick Bontis has stepped down as President of Canada Soccer after Canada’s provincial and territorial soccer federations sent Bontis a letter requesting he step down amid labour disputes between the men’s and women’s senior national teams.
Canada Soccer and both of our national team programs have the real potential to sign a historic collective bargaining agreement,” Bontis said in a statement Monday. “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.”
Both the Canadian men’s and women’s teams had asked Canada’s sports minister Pascale St-Onge to remove the leaders of soccer Canada.
Bontis has been an advocate of wage parity between the men’s and women’s soccer teams.
He is still a member of CONCACAF, serving as vice-president (North America) for that soccer body.
A lifelong avid soccer player, in Hamilton Bontis is chair of strategic management at De Groote School of Business, and is well known to television viewers in the GTA as a business commentator.
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