Yesterday CSN published two stories about Canadian internationals that the Canadian Soccer Association has responded to.
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In reporting Atiba Hutchinson's injury concerns, CSN wrote the following:
It seems as though Hutchinson was brought back into the national team fold too soon, as he re-aggravated the injury in Canada's match versus St. Lucia in Toronto in September 2, and did not participate in game at Puerto Rico four days later.
CSN spokesperson Max Bell contacted CSN today to provide the SA's side. He wrote:
The facts are as follows:
- PSV actually encouraged Canada to play Atiba in the two matches as a means of regaining his form
- Atiba showed no sign of strain / injury at any point during the St. Lucia match
- It was only when Atiba arrived into Puerto Rico that he spoke to our team medical staff about the issue
- And, of course, as you know, Atiba played for PSV before returning to Canada to play for the national team
Bell stressed that the decision to play Hutchinson should not at all reflect poorly on the CSA medical or technical staff.
CSN wasn't directly contacted about the Christine Sinclair story, which asked whether her decision to skip this month's friendlies with the United States was partly in protest to the SA's handling of the Carolina Morace situation. However, there was an indirect approach -- a source close to the CSA stressed to CSN that Sinclair was in no way protesting and that any suggestion otherwise would be unfair to all involved. It was said that she was simply "burnt out."