(Ottawa) Former Canada Soccer President Nick Bontis has apologized to star player Christine Sinclair for comments he doesn’t remember making, which he doesn’t dispute, but which make him feel ” terribly wrong”.
The elephant in the room of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage was identified from the outset by the former leader of the federation, according to whom “few have done as much” as Christine Sinclair for the round ball in the country and in the world .
Three weeks ago, at the table of the same committee, the player told an anecdote involving Nick Bontis which had shocked many.
PHOTO DARRYL DYCK, THE CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
Nick Bontis, former president of Canada Soccer
The ex-leader would have referred to remarks made by the athlete during a meeting by describing them in a less than complimentary manner. “He referenced me saying, ‘What was Christine crying about? ” , recounted the gold medalist of the Tokyo Games.
The representatives of the women’s team had just learned to their amazement, the year of their Olympic triumph in Japan, in 2021, that they were paid five times less than the players of the men’s team.
The Commons committee, which is studying the issue of “the safe practice of sport in Canada”, had summoned Nick Bontis a little over a week ago, but he had not shown up, resisting for personal reasons.
Towards the end of his opening statement, the main interested party justified this absence, a tremolo in his voice: harassed by a person struggling with mental health problems which threatened his physical integrity, he had to manage the legal case.
He also explained to the deputies that he was targeted by death threats forcing him to work with a “panic button” under his desk at McMaster University, where he teaches.
Far from being moved, the conservative Kevin Waugh asked him why he had resigned as director of Canada Soccer last February, to which his interlocutor replied that he had been pushed out.
The two national teams had demanded changes at the head of Canada Soccer.
Among the irritants: Nick Bontis had supported the federation’s agreement with the Canadian Soccer Business (CSB). The opaque agreement was denounced by many, and defended by representatives of Canada Soccer a few days ago in the Commons committee.