'Next Gen United' players run for U.S. Soccer Athlete Counci
Oct 16, 2020 14:59:07 GMT -5
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Post by bogan on Oct 16, 2020 14:59:07 GMT -5
www.espn.com/soccer/united-states-usa/story/4209366/next-gen-united-players-run-for-us-soccer-athlete-council-to-inspire-younger-generations
Five players representing experience across a variety of men's and women's national teams are running for open positions on the U.S. Soccer Athlete Council in what they say is a bid to bring American soccer closer to the federation's "One nation, one team" marketing slogan.
Calling their collective campaign "Next Gen United," Matt Freese, Smith Hunter, Mikey Lopez, Nick Mayhugh and Brianna Pinto announced their candidacies Thursday. The announcement came a day after the nomination process opened for November's election, which will fill 10 of 20 places on the council made up of players who have represented the U.S. in some capacity.
We are living through a historical moment in our nation, with coronavirus impacting our ability to play soccer and widespread demonstrations for racial injustice in America sparking the necessary conversations across our nation," Hunter told ESPN. "We really believed that in order to meet these current challenges, U.S. Soccer needs 21st century perspectives and our generation deserves to be heard.
"So we think that we need younger voices on the council to make it more representative of its players."
Required by the Amateur Sports Act of 1978, the Athlete Council describes its own purpose as serving as a communications intermediary between athletes and U.S. Soccer and reporting the needs of athletes to the federation's board of directors. Along with that advisory mandate, the Athlete Council has a say in electing the president of U.S. Soccer -- currently accounting for 20% of the overall vote but increasing to 33% depending on legislation recently passed by Congress, the Empowering Olympic, Paralympic and Amateur Athletes Act.
Although the federation's next presidential election is scheduled for February, with former U.S. women's national team star Cindy Parlow Cone the incumbent after replacing former president Carlos Cordeiro following his resignation this past spring, the Athlete Council's increased voting strength isn't expected to take effect until after 2021...
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