Deja Vu - "...athletes should be able to focus on their jobs of “preparing, training and performing” instead of fighting their federation."

Still remember 2 employees from two different local league/association, colluding to bring financial fines & discipline charges to a specific individual; costing a small club hundreds of dollars, simply because they had previously (years back and unrelated); unfavorable personal experience.

And let's not forget the episode where the 6 largest clubs (with the help of the local "association") wanted to disassociate themselves into a Super league.

Many, many, many more anecdotes hidden away in secrecy by the leagues and associations with threat of "sanctioned discipline". 

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‘We’re not being respected.’ Athletes in other toxic sports hope Hockey Canada reckoning is just the start.

"Athletes in other sports, who have long been fighting to get Ottawa’s attention to fix problems with culture and accountability in their federations, were not surprised.  “Hockey is so bred and woven into the fabric of the Canadian identity it makes sense that they’re talked about more often,”

“Because at the end of the day, that’s really what this is showing: that people in smaller, less funded sports don’t have a say in their own governance.”

"...athletes should be able to focus on their jobs of “preparing, training and performing” instead of fighting their federation."

"Old boys in the boardroom"

 
Up until very recently, all soccer organizations from the local, regional, provincial and national levels had "association" (Canadian Soccer Association, Ontario Soccer Association, etc.) in their names; and most still do. Also, there is a reason why in academic circles, there is a strong emphasis in differentiating between "associations" and "unions". Though similar in advocating for their members; one has a strong labor involvement, the other professional development. There is nothing wrong with either (to a lesser or greater personal opinion); nor with the intent of the people who manage or work in those circles.

However, to describe any of the tenets of an association as mobile, flexible, risk taking, non-bureaucratic, pragmatic, practical, tactical or entrepreneurial in their: policies, procedures, rules, by-laws, regulations, constitutions, etc. - you cannot.  It will take years (if not decades) to change that, even if the vision to do so exists. It is just the nature of "the culture".

I won't pretend to be an expert at the national level, but the recent national Canadian Women's & Men's national team negotiations with Canada Soccer, and the cancellation of games (with Iran & Panama) is just an example of such lack of experience, playing out in front of our eyes:

"Perhaps the old boys in the boardroom are not what's needed for elite teams that have brought Canadian soccer to the world's stage in an unprecedented manner."

This is a local blog; if the top is to change and be ready for life changing ("unprecedented") events, you need to start at the bottom. Liberalize a lot of the work needed to run a club, do not try to "sanction" pick-up (recreational) soccer (for God's sake less discipline fees!), and concentrate on the truly competitive & professional side of it.

Lock-downs; stay at home orders; ...modify this; ...modify that; scientists say this, Facebook says that.