BC Soccer dispute could sideline thousands of youth players
BC Soccer dispute could sideline thousands of youth players
BC Soccer should be focused on the provincial championships, which kick off Thursday for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
Instead, most people involved in the sport are talking about a power struggle that could lead to the suspension of all tournaments, games and even practices.
"Unfortunately right now, BC Soccer is currently not following a directive of Canada Soccer, our governing body, and this may lead to sanctioning from Canada Soccer to BC Soccer,” said BC Soccer’s executive director Jason Elligott in a pre-recorded video message to members.
“In simple terms, the directive is to change BC Soccer's voting structure to be more equitable."
Despite BC Soccer having about 15,000 adult members and approximately 95,000 youth members, voting power is split 50-50 between the two groups.
Canada Soccer, the federal governing body that oversees provincial and territorial organizations, wants the split to better reflect the number of players in each category.
According to BC Soccer, British Columbia is the only province or territory that is not in compliance with the directive.
"This is not an ask, this is a mandate. And so we need to be in a position to somehow make this change,” BC Soccer president Gayle Statton said in the video to members.
Changes to BC Soccer bylaws require two-thirds majority support from the membership.
A June 1 vote on changing the voting structure did not achieve that majority.
According to Statton, it is the adult league members who do not support the change.
None of the adult league organizers contacted by CTV News would agree to speak on the record about the stalemate.
BC Soccer also declined an interview.
While the adults behind the scenes try to negotiate a resolution ahead of a November deadline imposed by Canada Soccer before it may take punitive action, up to and including the suspension of all sanctioned soccer activities in B.C., it is the youth players caught in the middle who stand to suffer the most through no fault of their own.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fragile ceasefire between Israel, Gaza militants holding
A fragile ceasefire deal to end nearly three days of fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza held into Monday morning -- a sign the latest round of violence may have abated.

Occupancy exceeded: Banff, Alta., home possessed more than 40 beds
Alberta Health Services has issued an enforcement order against a Banff home after an inspection discovered that as many as 42 people were staying inside the property, saying the maximum number of occupants of the facility 'was exceeded.'
Summer of heat waves: A list of some temperature records broken in Canada this year
Canada's summer of heat waves continues this weekend, with warnings issued in four provinces. CTVNews.ca looks at some of the heat records broken already this year in Canada.
Air Canada denying passenger compensation claims for staff shortages, citing safety
Air Canada denied a customer complaint and instructed employees to classify flight cancellations caused by staff shortages as a "safety" problem, which would exclude travellers from compensation under federal regulations. That policy remains in place.
Hope for 'significant change' in all of sports following Hockey Canada board chair's resignation: lawyer
The recent resignation of Hockey Canada's board chair could be a sign of further departures to come, says Simona Jellinek, a sexual abuse and assault lawyer.
Help on the way for central Newfoundland fire Premier says is largest since 1961
The rapid growth of a long-burning forest fire in central Newfoundland has triggered a state of emergency in the area and the expansion of an outdoor fire ban to the entire province.
Multiple people in hospital, suspect shot after machete attack on Vancouver's Granville Street
Five people, including a suspect, were taken to hospital with serious injuries after a violent incident that drew a massive police presence to downtown Vancouver's main entertainment district Saturday night.
Ship carrying grain from Ukraine arrives in Istanbul
The first of the ships to leave Ukraine under a deal to unblock grain supplies amid the threat of a global food crisis arrived at its destination in Turkey on Monday.
U.S. Senate passes major bill to fight climate change, cut drug costs
Democrats pushed their election-year economic package to U.S. Senate passage Sunday, a hard-fought compromise less ambitious than U.S. President Joe Biden's original domestic vision but one that still meets deep-rooted party goals of slowing global warming, moderating pharmaceutical costs and taxing immense corporations.