Nine senators in the United States are calling for FIFA president Sepp Blatter to come to an agreement with a group of elite soccer players who are protesting plans to play the 2015 Womens World Cup in Canada on artificial turf.Led by Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, the nine Democrats sent a letter to Blatter to reaffirm their support for the players who lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario on Oct. 1. A group of 13 senators lead by Brown sent a letter to FIFA in November asking soccers world governing body and the Canadian Soccer Association to reconsider their choice of playing surface.The players claim that holding the World Cup on artificial turf amounts to gender discrimination because men play footballs premier tournament on real grass.FIFA literally is requiring female athletes to perform on an unequal playing field — one that it would not let men play upon, the senators wrote in a letter Thursday. This is about more than the playing surface on which soccer matches are played: it is about the message we are sending to women and girls around the world.We are proud of our players, and relegating them to fields that men would not play upon sends the wrong message to them and the world. We urge you to continue discussions with the players, work to compromise in good faith, and treat them with the respect and dignity they deserve.The CSA rejects that claim, saying the world governing body of soccer sanctions playing on artificial turf as long as it meets certain standards. FIFA, meanwhile, has argued that artificial turf makes sense for Canadas climate.The 2015 Womens World Cup is scheduled for June 6 to July 5 in Moncton, Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver. Mike Matheny Blue Jays Jersey . 9 Baylor Bears just needed some time to get on track in their first game after the Christmas break. Rickey Henderson Blue Jays Jersey . Numbers Game looks into the Wild getting Matt Moulson from Buffalo. The Wild Get: LW Matt Moulson and LW Cody McCormick. https://www.cheapbluejays.com/2916h-rich...lue-jays.html.C. -- Gleason Fournier scored the shootout winner as the Grand Rapids Griffins defeated the Abbotsford Heat 4-3 Friday in American Hockey League action. J.A. Happ Blue Jays Jersey . -- Tony Finau won the Stonebrae Classic on Sunday for his first Web. Dave Winfield Jersey . Anderson shook off some unusually poor shooting and hit two clutch 3-pointers in overtime that carried the New Orleans Pelicans to a 111-106 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night. RUKA, Finland -- Canadians Mikael Kingsbury and Alexandre Bilodeau finished 1-2 in mens moguls on Saturday in a World Cup of freestyle skiing event. Kingsbury, from Deux-Montagnes, Que., won gold with a score of 26.93, while Bilodeau, from Montreal, took silver with 26.54. Japans Sho Endo (25.24) placed third. "Alex was going right before me and he did an amazing run with a very high score," said Kingsbury. "I knew it would be very hard to beat that score, so I went for it. I went just a little bit faster than him and got the gold today. "Its probably the best run of my life." Kingsbury was very pleased with his performance, especially heading toward the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, this February. "Its the perfect way to start the season, especially for an Olympic year," said Kingsbury. "Its looking great, Im skiing great, Im in good shape, no injuries. I just want to keep it going." Bilodeau, who won gold for Canada at the 2010 Vancouver Games, is very impressed with Kingsburys progress as a high-calibre skier. "Mikael is a great talent and he really pushed it today," said Bilodeau. "I put the bar very high and I knew I had a very clean run, quite fast. He had to go all out." Bilodeau was also pleased with his performance and is looking foorward to fine-tuning for the Olympics.dddddddddddd "I went very big on the top air, perfect top air. The middle section probably was one of my best middle sections ever," said Bilodeau. "I cant wait to see the videos and to see the judges score and to analyze that with my coach." Quebec Citys Philippe Marquis was in 10th and Montreals Pascal-Olivier Gagne was 12th. In womens moguls competition, Montreals Justine Dufour-Lapointe won silver with a score of 23.90. She lost to American Hannah Kearney (25.07) and beat out Japans Aiko Uemura (23.69). "I worked hard this summer on my jumps and it really paid off today," said Dufour-Lapointe. "Im really stoked and happy that everything came together. Its such a good feeling to know that youve done an awesome job." Dufour-Lapointe likes how competitive the womens moguls circuit has become leading to the Sochi Games. "This season I really feel the girls are hungry to go faster, to try and make it to the Games," said Dufour-Lapointe. "Its really fun and nice that the sports going further. Its going to be a really good year, I think." Montreals Chloe Dufour-Lapointe was fifth, Quebec Citys Audrey Robichaud ninth, Montreals Maxime Dufour-Lapointe 14th and Andi Naude of Penticton, B.C., came 16th. ' ' '