Alyson Walker, the newly appointed general secretary of Canada Soccer, is leaving the job before starting due to an “unforeseen personal matter.”
Walker, whose appointment was announced Dec. 22, had been slated to start Monday, becoming the first woman to hold down the top staff position at the governing body of Canadian soccer.
“After careful consideration and conversation with my family, I have decided for personal reasons, to take some time away and will not step into the role of general secretary at Canada Soccer,” Walker said in a Canada Soccer statement. “I wish Canada Soccer the very best and will be cheering on from afar.”
The governing body said Walker informed it Saturday “she will not be able to fulfil the duties of the general secretary.”
“Our thoughts are with Alyson as she deals with an unforeseen personal matter that sadly precludes her from taking on the role of general secretary,” Canada Soccer president Charmaine Crooks said in an statement. “While we were all looking forward to having her lead Canada Soccer, we fully understand, and deeply respect her request for privacy. We wish her all the very best.”
Korn Ferry, the consulting firm that helped find Walker, has resumed the search for a new candidate.
Canada Soccer says Kelly Brown, a member of the board of directors and chair of the HR committee, will head up a transition leadership team that includes COO Mathieu Chamberland, CFO Sean Heffernanand Paulo Senra, chief communications and content officer.
Walker was chosen after a four-month search conducted by Korn Ferry that saw more than 200 candidates identified, according to Canada Soccer. Her resume includes stints with Bell Media, the Canadian Olympic Committee and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.
Former Canada captain Jason deVos, who previously was Canada Soccer’s director of development, had served as interim general secretary job since Earl Cochrane stepped down last April. DeVos recently left Canada Soccer to join Toronto FC as an assistant coach under John Herdman.
Christine Sinclair exits final international match of career to standing ovation
Canadian soccer icon Christine Sinclair is substituted out of the match for the last time of her international career. Sophie Schmidt, who’s also playing her final match for Canada, replaces Sinclair on the pitch.
Walker’s exit is the latest setback for Canada Soccer, which has been embroiled in a lengthy labour battle with its players and facing a financial pinch. And with Canada co-hosting the FIFA men’s World Cup in 2026, there are major challenges ahead on and off the field.
The departure may also delay the search for a permanent coach for the men’s national team. Canada Soccer had said that hiring was going to wait until a general secretary was hired.
Mauro Biello has served as interim coach since Herdman resigned in August. Last week Canada Soccer extended Biello’s interim term in charge through Canada’s Copa America qualifying playoff with Trinidad and Tobago in March.
Walker had two stints at Bell Media, including serving as vice-president of brand partnerships and client strategy from 2016 to 2019. Before that she spent 20 months at MLSE as vice-president of content and almost four years as the Canadian Olympic Committee’s executive director of marketing partnerships and licensing.
Most recently she served as chief commercial officer at OverActive Media, a Toronto-based esports organization.
Walker, who played university soccer for the McGill Martlets, is a founding board member with WISE Toronto (Women in Sports and Events), and an adviser/mentor with The Future of Sport Lab at Toronto Metropolitan University.
Change has been a constant at Canada Soccer in recent times.
Canada Soccer president Nick Bontis resigned his elected position last February, acknowledging change was needed to achieve labour peace. Crooks, a former Olympic track star, took over as acting president and was subsequently voted into the job.
Cochrane came and went after taking the general secretary role on a permanent basis in July 2022 following an “extensive global recruitment process” as Canada Soccer stayed in-house to find a successor to general secretary Peter Montopoli.
Canada Soccer has struggled financially of late, tied into a long-term agreement with Canadian Soccer Business which essentially markets its product on the field and off, via broadcast and sponsorship agreements.
Canada Soccer is believed to be receiving $4 million a year currently under the deal as “the beneficiary of a rights fee guarantee.” It is attempting to renegotiate the agreement, which includes an additional $500,000 to be paid out per year ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Canada Soccer cited financial issues as one of the reasons the Canadian men sat out the September international window and played just once in October when they were outclassed 4-1 by Japan in Niigata.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
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