Seems like CONCACAF supports the withdrawal of Canadian soccer within the USSF BREAKING NEWS ⚽️#FuryFC has been advised that CONCACAF is seeking to prevent Ottawa from participating in the @USLChampionship in 2019. Fury FC and OSEG will provide updates when available. DETAILS 👉 https://t.co/DtMncSkU5S pic.twitter.com/lI3DrCrOBj— Ottawa Fury FC (@OttawaFuryFC) December 13, 2018
It’ll be interesting to see how CONCACAF justifies going after the Fury, while ignoring the MLS and PDL clubs.
I'm thinking that of they started such a move which we call here... the nuclear option, it must be that they were sure that they would get their way in the end
Update on #FuryFC sanctioning 👇Fury FC has announced that it is seeking urgent relief from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in respect of sanctioning for its participation in the USL Championship level professional soccer in 2019.DETAILS 👉 https://t.co/8r70XjOlqQ pic.twitter.com/lkj0Nobjoa— Ottawa Fury FC (@OttawaFuryFC) December 19, 2018 According to this article: https://the11.ca/see-you-in-switzer...oning-case-to-court-of-arbitration-for-sport/ Canada Soccer approved the Fury’s application to play in USL for 2019. The club says it has U.S. Soccer’s approval to cross the border and play in an American league, but Canada Soccer says it has yet to receive confirmation of that from the USSF. That would corroberates CONCACAF statement that they have not received a formal sanction application for the Ottawa Fury
According to a source when @CanadaSoccerEN last week granted approval to @OttawaFuryFC to play in 2019 @USLChampionship @CanadaSoccerEN also told the @OttawaFuryFC that in 2020 they would have to play in Canada, be it @CPLsoccer or any other league in Canada.— Tony Marinaro (@TonyMarinaro) December 27, 2018 4 options Join (Bid) for a CPL spot Join League 1 Ontario Sell to CPL investors Fold
Or move/sell to a US city. (FC Cincinnati may be looking for an USL team for the 2020 or 2021 season). Or get another waiver for 2020.
If someone with decent pockets were to support them, Ottawa Fury could sue to stay in the USL Championship. They would need only look at the MLS teams, and their second teams. Then again, perhaps all they needed to accept joining the CSL was some lead time. Which CONCACAF was initially not giving them.
Suing FIFA wouldn't help their case. They'd be virtually de-sanctioned immediately. That's why they might try the CAS but they won't get an injunction allowing them to play in the meantime as sufficient notice was provided by both the CSA and CONCACAF. They can't argue that they got "blindsided" and "preparation for 2020" was already underway like they did this time. Interesting note, CONCACAF statement clearly indicates that although it has agreed to sanction the Fury this time, FIFA has yet to agree to it. So, we'll see. If they choose to go to the CAS, the Fury will try to make the case that they should be treated like an MLS club and be treated on the same level. We should all agree how ridiculous that claim is. They could decide to be a full fledged second team to Montreal but their fans would desert them in a heartbeat, they'd be relegated to USL League One (most likely) and banned from the Canadian Championship (which don't allow B teams). They were told by the CSA as early as 2017, that they wouldn't be allowed to stay. This is why CONCACAF expressed their frustration at the Fury PR campaign which was really not helpful and counter-productive. They aren't getting much sympathy in Canada and most are in disbelief in the mismanagement by the front office on that file.
It's not as cut and dry as Robert makes it seem in his post, but the short answer is that the Fury could technically sue (or appeal to FIFA) to stay in the USL, but whether that lawsuit would be successful or not is an open question. There is also the issue of whether they want to or not.. Any appeal to FIFA or lawsuit in Canada, is going to be a time consuming and costly affair, so given the uncertainty of success and the cost, it might be better if they just go to the CPL and call it good.
As I said, maybe they just needed time to prepare for a new league. The original announcement that Ottawa was being blocked from playing in USL-C in 2019 suggested they were not being given sufficient lead time, and would not be able to play anywhere in 2019 if that were allowed to stand.
Time to prepare for a new league is not at issue here.. At least, not with regard to the Fury joining the CPL at all. The CPL was announced back in 2017, NASL collapsed later that year, and the Fury announced they'd be joining USL, the assumption was that Ottawa was joining USL only for the 2018 season and that they would join the CPL when it launched in 2019. It came as a bit of a shock when the Fury announced they wouldn't be joining the CPL (prior to CONCACAF's decision). The timing issue is only because the CONCACAF decision happened after the Fury had decided to stay with the CPL and shortly before the USL were set to announce their 2019 schedule. As such, timing should not be an issue for the Fury joining the CPL in 2020. They MIGHT have a valid argument related to the risk of joining a new league and the costs associated with that.