Playing Women's World Cup on turf not discrimination: CSA

The head of the Canadian Soccer Association is frustrated over suggestions that players are being discriminated against because next year's FIFA Women's World Cup games are being played on artificial turf.

A group of 40 women's soccer players have threatened a lawsuit because artificial turf will be used at the stadiums.

They argue female athletes are being discriminated against because the men's World Cup is played on natural grass.

Canada is scheduled to host the World Cup in 2015 at six sites across the country, with the final scheduled to be played at Vancouver's BC Place Stadium.

CSA president Victor Montagliani said it is up to FIFA, soccer's world governing body, to comment on the issue of turf, but he said any talk of gender discrimination in the sport in Canada is incorrect.

Montagliani says the CSA spends a little over $4 million a year on the women's program.

That's about twice the amount spent on the men's program.