TORONTO - The turf war is over, with a group of elite womens players withdrawing its human rights complaint over artificial turf at this summers Womens World Cup in Canada.The women did not exit quietly, however. Their lawyer slammed FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association, saying both governing bodies had behaved badly in the face of the challenge before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.Lawyer Hampton Dellinger accused the soccer authorities of threatening players with suspension, delaying legal tactics and rejecting the players undeniably fair settlement offer.In the face of such irresponsible actions by FIFA and CSA, the players have elected to end their legal fight, Dellinger said in a statement Wednesday. The players are doing what FIFA and CSA have proven incapable of — putting the sport of soccer first.The women also said their challenge had made a difference.Tatjana Haenni, FIFAs head of womens competitions, acknowledged last Friday in Philadelphia that some of the artificial surfaces at the tournament may have to replaced.We know that Vancouver is an issue, Haenni said of B.C. Place Stadium, which will host the World Cup final among other games.Haenni also said that the time for dissent was over, that the women should focus their attention on the field in the knowledge that a successful tournament would be good for womens soccer around the globe.In reacting to Wednesdays announcement, FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said the sports governing body had worked hard with players and technical staff to address their concerns and doubts.What was very clear from the meetings with the players was their desire and enthusiasm about making this the greatest FIFA Womens World Cup ever, and to ensure that they have the best possible conditions to perform well. he said in a statement. This is a goal they share with FIFA and we are totally committed to providing the best possible surface to enable everyone to enjoy a great footballing spectacle.We — the participating teams and the organizers — can now all focus on the preparation and promotion of the biggest event in womens football this June in Canada.The CSA also welcomed the news.We are pleased to be moving beyond this discussion, so we can continue to focus on delivering the best FIFA Womens World Cup ever in partnership with our FIFA colleagues and stakeholders from coast to coast, association president Victor Montagliani said in a statement.The turf protest drew the attention of big names on and off the playing field. Actor Tom Hanks and NBA stars Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant — with more than 24 million Twitter followers between them — tweeted their support for real grass.Dellinger, who like his fellow lawyers represented the women for free, pointed to other victories by the rebel faction.The players united, international effort to protest discrimination has had a positive impact, he said. The deplorable artificial surface at B.C. Place, the site of the final, will be replaced. Goal-line technology will be used for the first time in a Womens World Cup and we know that the 2019 World Cup will be held on grass. Moreover, the players and their supporters have highlighted continuing gender inequity in sports and lessened the chance that such wrongdoing will occur in the future.FIFA and CSA, on the other hand, will fail to host a discrimination-free tournament. They have embarrassed themselves and provided further grounds for reformers to challenge their current leadership.The World Cup is scheduled to run June 6 to July 5 in Moncton, Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver.The women had argued that making them play on artificial turf was discriminatory when the men play their showcase tournament on grass.Turf will not be an issue at the 2019 womens tournament. France and South Korea, the two countries bidding to host, both plan to play on grass.On behalf of the players, I want to thank all who aided our fight for natural grass fields at the 2015 World Cup including our volunteer lawyers from Canada and the United States, said U.S. star forward Abby Wambach, whose name was front and centre on the human rights challenge.Our legal action has ended. But I am hopeful that the players willingness to contest the unequal playing fields — and the tremendous public support we received during the effort — marks the start of even greater activism to ensure fair treatment when it comes to womens sports.Canadian players were not part of the human rights challenge. They were left out since the CSA doubles as the tournaments national organizing committee.The women may have failed in their legal battle, but it can be argued they won the battle for public opinion even if FIFA rules clearly permit the use of sanctioned artificial turf.FIFA looked intransigent while the CSA offered little in response. And Valckes commitment for an open dialogue looked empty when he refused to talk to players over the phone or to go to Brazil to talk in person during a tournament that featured stars like Wambach and Brazils Marta.He eventually met with a group of players before the recent Ballon dOr announcement.In the end, despite the challenges created by the sexism, greed, and stubbornness endemic to FIFA and CSA, the players will make the 2015 Womens World Cup a success, Dellinger said with one final parting shot. The on-field skill, courage, and determination the players will display will redeem the tournament from the ineptitude and ingratitude of its organizers. I hope fans around the world will join me in following and supporting these amazing athletes as they compete across Canada this June and July.Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter Dante Exum Jersey . 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Rudy Gobert Jersey .com) - Hassan Whiteside scored 20 points with nine rebounds in the Miami Heats 83-75 win over the Boston Celtics on Sunday. Donovan Mitchell Jersey . - Wesley Matthews got a chance to practice his bow-and-arrow 3-point celebration on Sunday night.CALGARY -- Canadian womens skeleton racer Sarah Reid shrugged her shoulders at the World Cup finish line Friday after just missing out on a chance to lock up a spot for the Sochi Games. About an hour later, Reid was sporting an Olympic-sized grin. The winner had been disqualified after the race due to a sled handle violation. That moved everyone up one position and put Reid into sixth place, which allowed her to book her ticket to Sochi. "Its crazy," Reid said. "I feel like it hasnt really sunk in yet." American Noelle Pikus-Pace finished first in the womens race in one minute 54.88 seconds but her disqualification gave the gold to Britains Elizabeth Yarnold, who finished 0.16 seconds behind. Russias Elena Nikitina earned silver in 1:55.28 and Michelle Steele of Australia took bronze in 1:55.30. Eric Neilson of Kelowna, B.C., also booked his Olympic ticket with a fifth-place result in the mens race at Canada Olympic Park. Neilson also said the Sochi news hasnt sunk in. "Not even close," he said with a laugh. "I dont know if Ill actually believe it until the coaches say, This is our Olympic team. Eric Neilson youre on it -- go." There will be two more World Cup events before the Olympic skeleton roster is officially unveiled Dec. 18. Racers need four top-six finishes over two seasons to qualify for the Sochi Games, but at least one has to come in the current campaign. Bobsledders Jesse Lumsden and Chris Spring reached the podium later in the evening, winning bronze in the two-man event. "I think we both agree were happy, were not satisfied," Lumsden said. "My goal as a pusher is to help Chris have top-three starts every race all year long. So this was a great way to set the tone." Lumsden, from Burlington, Ont., and Spring, from Calgary, were third in 1:49.42. Americans Steven Holcomb and Steve Langton won gold in 1:49.22, just 0.16 seconds ahead of Switzerlands Beat Hefti and Alex Baumann. In the mens skeleton, Martin Dukurs of Latvia set a track record of 55.31 seconds on his second run and earned the mens gold with a two-run time of 1:51.39. Dukurs was well ahead of Alexander Tretiakov of Russia, who finished in 1:52.14. Britains Dominic Edward Parsons won bronze in 1:52.74. Neilson tied his career-best finish at a World Cup. He finished fourth at the world championships last season. Dukurs trimmed over four-10ths of a second off the previous track record (55.72) set by Canadas Jeff Pain in February 2005. The Latvian won the overall World Cup title last season. The track push record also fell Friday. Tretiakovs first start time of 4.75 seconds was a shade better than his previous best of 4.dddddddddddd76 from November 2005. The Russian improved his mark again with a 4.71 in the second run. Calgary-based racers Dave Greszczyszyn and John Fairbairn also finished in the top 10. Greszczyszyn was sixth in his World Cup debut in 1:53.06 and Fairbairn was ninth in 1:53.17. In the womens race, officials ruled that Pikus-Pace violated Rule 14.5 by racing with additional handles on her sled. Heinz Thoma, a FIBT World Cup co-ordinator, said another team first noticed the violation and pointed it out to an official. "They look at each other carefully," Thoma said. "Were on the way to (the) Olympics." The FIBT is the sanctioning body for bobsled and skeleton. The sled was inspected and the official results were released about an hour after the race finish. Thomas said about one-third of the sleds are usually inspected after a race, adding that violations occur from time to time. He couldnt recall the last time a violation affected a World Cup race winner. Pikus-Pace later told The Associated Press that the British team complained about an extra piece of tape that was wrapped around the handle. The sled -- and the tape -- had both been approved for competition earlier in the week, Pikus-Pace said, and U.S. officials were appealing the disqualification. "Clearly, clearly, I should not have been disqualified," Pikus-Pace told the AP in a phone interview. "Im so frustrated. People get away with whatever and I get disqualified for a piece of tape? A piece of tape that they said was OK? It has no competitive advantage whatsoever." Rule 14.5 states that the saddle handles must be mounted on the construction frame, and that "no additional handles, howsoever they are constructed, are permitted on the saddle." A race official said later in the evening that the appeal would not be entertained and that the decision was final. Reid, who won bronze at the 2013 world championship, was just over a half-second off the lead with a time of 1:55.56. Calgarys Robynne Thompson was eighth and Cassie Hawrysh of Brandon, Man., was 10th. Mellisa Hollingsworth of Eckville, Alta., and 2010 Olympic champion Jon Montgomery of Russell, Man., will open the season on the Intercontinental Cup circuit. Athletes can qualify for Sochi while competing on that circuit or at the World Cup level. Lyndon Rush of Humboldt, Sask., and Calgarys Lascelles Brown were eighth in the two-man bobsled. Justin Kripps of Summerland, B.C., and Bryan Barnett of Calgary were 12th. The four-man bobsled and womens bobsled events were set for Saturday. 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