The Canadian Lacrosse Association broke off communication with the National Lacrosse Team PlayersB次元官网网址� Association on Monday, deepening a standoff that threatens the countryB次元官网网址檚 participation in the upcoming menB次元官网网址檚 field lacrosse world championship.

CanadaB次元官网网址檚 lacrosse players refuse to play in international tournaments until the CLA gets them better health insurance and takes steps to re-establish its status as a charity with the Canadian Revenue Agency.

CLA executive director Jane Clapham explained in an email to the NLTPAB次元官网网址檚 lawyer on Monday why they governing body was not negotiating.

B次元官网网址淥ur short term priority is to ensure we send a team to the World Championships and therefore we will be dealing directly with the athletes interested in attending,B次元官网网址� said Clapham. B次元官网网址淎s for further discussion with the NLTPA, we are happy to further discussions after our short term priorities have been met.

B次元官网网址淲e will be in touch with you directly when the CLA wishes to continue discussions with the NLTPA.B次元官网网址�

The CLAB次元官网网址檚 decision to not negotiate with the playersB次元官网网址� association has frustrated many NLTPA members.

B次元官网网址淎s a player who has been part of the national program since 2004, itB次元官网网址檚 very disappointing the way the CLA has acted through this whole negotiation process,B次元官网网址� said Dan Dawson, a member of the board of directors of the NLTPA who has played for Canada in several field and box lacrosse world championships. B次元官网网址淭o put themselves ahead of the game is not the right thing to do.B次元官网网址�

The conflict began when the CLA had its charitable status revoked by the Canadian Revenue Agency in 2010 for issuing more than $60.7 million in donation receipts for abusive transactions through tax shelters. Players that compete for Canada pay for many of their own expenses and without the charitable status, the CLA could not issue them tax receipts. The CLA said the revoked charitable status also hurt its ability to fundraise.

In October, Gary Gait, Dave Huntley, Johnny Mouradian and Dean French B次元官网网址� directors responsible for CanadaB次元官网网址檚 five national teams that report to the CLA B次元官网网址� penned a letter to the CLA asking that steps be taken to restore the organizationB次元官网网址檚 charitable status and that improved health insurance be offered to players. The directors said they would resign their posts if their conditions were not met by March.

The CLA accepted their resignations almost immediately, save for Gait. The lacrosse superstar was told that he was welcome to stay on, but he declined.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 why itB次元官网网址檚 come to a head,B次元官网网址� said Dawson. B次元官网网址漁nce the directors had been fired from their position, no one could hold the CLA accountable for their actions.B次元官网网址�

Without the four directors serving as their advocates, CanadaB次元官网网址檚 top lacrosse players of both genders organized into the NLTPA. The playersB次元官网网址� association includes athletes from the menB次元官网网址檚 and womenB次元官网网址檚 field teams and the menB次元官网网址檚 box team. Because many of the under-19 players are legally minors, they were not asked to join.

The NLTPA also informed the CLA that until their conditions were met, they would not play for Canada in any tournament. The menB次元官网网址檚 field world championships is the first tournament on the calendar since the strike began.

Although the CLA has made an offer to the NLTPA, it is only for the 34 players in the top tier of the senior menB次元官网网址檚 field team pool. Those players want the offer extended to the womenB次元官网网址檚 field team, the under-19 boys and girls teams, as well as the menB次元官网网址檚 box team.

B次元官网网址淭he fact that theyB次元官网网址檙e willing to put their experience to compete on the world stage in jeopardy in order to insure that thereB次元官网网址檚 equality among all the programs is really special and inspiring,B次元官网网址� said Tory Merrill, a member of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 team that won silver at the 2017 womenB次元官网网址檚 field lacrosse World Cup in Guildford, England. B次元官网网址淚 know members of the womenB次元官网网址檚 team appreciate and we also feel itB次元官网网址檚 so important, as well.B次元官网网址�

Canada has participated in every menB次元官网网址檚 field world championship since the eventB次元官网网址檚 inception in 1967 and is the defending champion from the 2014 tournament in Denver.

A spokesperson from the CLA was not available to speak with The Canadian Press.

B次元官网网址淭here are several risks that could negatively impact the future of lacrosse in Canada should we fail to send a team to the 2018 Worlds Championships,B次元官网网址� said a statement from CLA president Joey Harris released on Thursday. B次元官网网址淲e are working very hard to mitigate these risks for the short and longer term viability of the organization.

B次元官网网址淲e remain committed to fielding a team that will safeguard the future of the national team program, and continue to serve our 60,000 athletes, coaches and officials across the country.B次元官网网址�

In MondayB次元官网网址檚 email to the NLTPAB次元官网网址檚 lawyer, the CLA said it would not continue negotiations until it had found replacement players for the menB次元官网网址檚 field world championship and that talks could resume after the tournament. Players and coaches from the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association have been contacted by the CLA, as have other professional players.

B次元官网网址淚 was asked by the CLA to go to Israel and play in place of those guys who have taken a principled stand,B次元官网网址� said Kyle Rubisch, a forward with the NLLB次元官网网址檚 Saskatchewan Rush in a statement put out through the NLTPA. B次元官网网址淭he CLA cannot expect me or other players to overthrow what these players have been working toward.B次元官网网址�

Canadian athletes may still represent other countries at the international event. The Iroquois Nationals are made up of First Nations players from Canada and the United States, while in previous tournaments teams from England, Scotland, China and other nations have fielded athletes from Canada that qualify based on ancestry.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press

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