Ottawa Fury FC Forced to Fight for Survival
December 12, 2018 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Ottawa Fury FC News Release
OTTAWA - Ottawa Fury FC has been advised that CONCACAF is seeking to prevent Fury FC from participating in the United Soccer League (USL) in 2019.
Despite no objections from the Canadian Soccer Association (Canada Soccer) (which approved Fury FC's 2019 participation in the USL) or the United States Soccer Federation (USSF, the USL's governing body) to Fury FC continuing to play in the USL, a higher level of international soccer governance, CONCACAF, has unilaterally intervened to prevent Fury FC's participation in the USL.
CONCACAF is an association of national soccer associations in Canada, the United States and 39 other member associations in North and Central America and the Caribbean. CONCACAF's president is Victor Montagliani, the former president of Canada Soccer, where he was the chief promoter of the new Canadian Premier League (CPL) that will start play in 2019.
"This action by CONCACAF is unprecedented and simply wrong," said Mark Goudie, President and CEO of Fury FC's parent company, the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG). "Our lawyers have requested that CONCACAF immediately provide further details on the basis for this decision. We also understand that Canada Soccer will be seeking clarification as to the rationale for CONCACAF's decision. In the event that CONCACAF does not immediately reconsider its position, Fury FC will take all steps - including legal proceedings - so as to ensure that it will be able to continue providing professional soccer to our loyal and new fans and supporters in a league of our choosing."
Goudie added, "I am also grateful for the pledges of support that we have received today from Canadian MLS clubs Montreal Impact, Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, who understand the important role that Fury FC currently plays in the Canadian professional soccer pathway and landscape at the high-calibre North American Division II level."
In 2018 Fury FC, led by the most capped player in Canadian soccer history in GM Julian de Guzman:
recorded the most minutes played by Canadian professional players of any professional club worldwide (24,610);
had 5 club members play for the Canadian Men's National Team Program with Maxime Crépeau and David Edgar at the senior level as well as Adonijah Reid, Clement Bayiha and Daniel Kinumbe who played for the U-20 Men's National Team;
won the USL's 2018 award for Best Overall Team Operations in the 33 team league.
Pending resolution of this unfortunate matter, Fury FC will be continuing with "business as usual" to meet our franchise obligations to the USL which expects to issue its 2019 schedule in the coming days.
In the event that Fury FC is prohibited from play in 2019, all game ticket payments made to date by fans will be refunded.
Fury FC and OSEG will provide updates when available.
STATEMENT FROM USL
"It's wrong," said USL President Jake Edwards. "Forcing a team to move from the league it is scheduled to play in - and wants to play in - three months before the season starts is unacceptable. Schedules have been set, players signed, season tickets sold. It's not fair to the anyone, including the 35 other teams in our league who are being negatively affected. Allowing this to happen would set a very poor precedent and we'll do everything in our power to support the Ottawa Fury FC."
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United Soccer League Championship Stories from December 12, 2018
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- Ottawa Fury FC Forced to Fight for Survival - Ottawa Fury FC
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- San Antonio FC Re-Signs Forward Alex Bruce - San Antonio FC
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