Women tennis players who fought for equal playing time in a GTA league have won their case at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario — with the tribunal ruling the association discriminates against women by offering them half the number of playing opportunities as it provides to men.In a decision reached last week, the tribunal’s vice-chair Jo-Ann Pickel ordered the mixed league of the InterCounty Tennis Association to provide equal playing time to both men and women who play at various levels, starting next year.Under the existing rules of the association’s evening mixed league, which has been in place since 1962, local clubs put forth 12 player teams consisting of eight men and four women. Throughout the competition season, there are three men’s doubles teams, two mixed doubles teams and one women’s doubles team. About five years ago some players started voicing their opposition to the format, but the league did not make any changes that would give women equal playing time as men. Last August, three women who play in the local clubs launched a formal complaint at the tribunal, alleging the format is discriminatory based on sex and should be changed to a gender equitable scheduling. “This may have made some sense in the 1960s but it doesn’t make sense anymore,” said Fiona Miller, one of the complainants who plays at the Moore Park Tennis Club in midtown Toronto.“There’s a bit of unwillingness by the people who run the association to want to change the rules, but we thought it was time to open it up. There are more women out there who also want to play, and it’s unfair to keep them out.”The association’s vice-president Sonja Zibin was noncommittal on whether they will comply with the tribunal’s decision. But she said the executive committee met to discuss the decision.“We have studied it carefully and have decided that the matter is best addressed at a meeting of our member c ...
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