Players who are protesting the plan to play the 2015 Women’s World Cup on artificial turf were denied a fast-tracked hearing in Canada over the dispute, but were instead offered early mediation with the Canadian Soccer Association.
The ruling by the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario came Friday, the same day a group of U.S. senators wrote soccer’s international governing body, FIFA, urging it to reconsider the decision.
FIFA and the CSA are overseeing the World Cup, which will be played in six Canadian cities next June and July.
The players, including Abby Wambach, claim that holding the World Cup on artificial turf amounts to gender discrimination because men play soccer’s premier tournament on real grass.
The Human Rights Tribunal gave both sides seven days to accept mediation and the attorney for the players filed their acceptance on Friday afternoon.
