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Government officials in Washington state, home to four Western Hockey League teams, have been investigating the working conditions of the teams mostly-teenaged players over the past year, TSN has learned. Matthew Erlich, a spokesman for Washingtons Department of Labor and Industry, told TSN that officials recently referred the case to the state attorney generals office and added that the labor department is waiting for a legal opinion from the attorney general before pursuing its investigation further. This is a matter that focuses on child labor issues and potential wage-payment claims, both are important at labor and industries, where our top important goal is to ensure workplaces are safe, Erlich said. Employees should also be paid for the work they do. Over the past few months, the debate over whether major junior hockey players should receive more money for playing has become a polarizing one. On one side, team owners say players receive modest reimbursements for their expenses, as well as a lucrative scholarship package that can be exercised so long as they dont go on to a career as a pro hockey player. Moreover, many teams in small markets are struggling to get by, the owners say. Our teams in Washington and Michigan have been in contact with government officials and have explained that our players are student athletes and are participating in and contribute to their sport the same way as other amateur athletes, Canadian Hockey League commissioner David Branch told TSN. But officials with Unifor, Canadas largest private-sector union, paint a different picture. They say major junior hockey teams have become cash machines and that any problems that small market teams might have can easily be solved with revenue sharing. Unifor is pressing the Ontario provincial government to form task forces to scrutinize the working conditions in the Canadian Hockey League. Unifor president Jerry Dias hopes other governments follow suit. To that end, Dias met Tuesday with B.C. Premier Christy Clark, making his case for government action. She was shocked, Dias said. We explained that in the Western Hockey League, players are still making $50 a week, same as they did in the 1980s. Its just not right. These clubs are being run as for-profit businesses, and so little of the money finds its way to the players. Its basically slave labour. The stakes are high for CHL team owners. Dias said an average 40-hour work week adds up to about 2,000 hours a year. If players in Ontario were paid the minimum wage of $11 per hour for half the year, it would work out to about $11,000 per player, or at least $220,000 a year for each team. Its unclear how much teams now pay for players, but in recent years, the OHL paid players $55 a week. The league recently introduced new guidelines where teams reimburse players for expenses instead of paying them a set weekly amount. Eight of the CHLs 60 teams are based in the U.S. The four teams in Washington are the Everett Silvertips, the Seattle Thunderbirds, the Spokane Chiefs and the Tri-City Americans. In the OHL, the Plymouth Whalers and Saginaw Spirit are in Michigan. If players on U.S.-based teams were declared by the government to be employees, instead of student athletes, as the CHL says they are, they might also have more rights under worker compensation laws. One CHL team owner said that he has been in touch with his local member of provincial parliament to caution that if the governments do change their policies on major junior hockey, it might have a ripple effect on sports across the country. If we have to pay minimum wage, then other junior leagues, Junior B and Junior C leagues, will have to do the same thing, said the owner, who asked for anonymity because he said CHL team owners have agreed that Branch will speak publicly for the group about the issue. Maybe it will apply to Canadian universities that charge admission for sports games. It could have a huge effect. But that might not be completely true. Theres a difference between a Junior B hockey player or Canadian university player and a player in major junior - teams in major junior hold a draft and control for years the rights of a player. The players dont choose where to play. It should not come as a surprise that team owners are active in their communities and some may be in contact with elected officials at all levels to express their views on range of issues, Branch said. Any change to the status of CHL hockey players would undoubtedly impact all other amateur athletes in our country, regardless of what sport they participate in, he said. For all of these sports there are multiple complicated questions regarding expenses and the status of student athletes and other amateur athletes, all of which have the potential to impact on numerous sports programs in Ontario and throughout Canada. Air Max 1 Online Shop . According to a report from ESPN, sources said Manuels college coach Jimbo Fisher told teams he didnt think Manuel had the tools to be an NFL starter. Nike Air Max 1 UK Sale . It was my fifth straight year attending and, as always, there are many interesting matters discussed as it pertains to the use of statistics in sports. http://www.cheapukairmax1.com/. On July 27 cyclings best-known race will host "La Course by Le Tour de France" -- a one-day womens competition staged hours before Tour riders race on the same circuit to finish the three-week event on Paris Champs-Elysees. Air Max 1 Sale UK .com) - John Wall supplied 24 points and 11 assists in leading the Washington Wizards to a 102-91 win over the New York Knicks on Christmas Day. Buy Air Max 1 UK . As Valanciunas was whistled for a rare technical toward the end of the third quarter - a result of waving his hand at an official after being called for a foul - Lowry pulled the Raptors sophomore aside, corralling him by his jersey and patting him on the back.MONTREAL -- Canada accomplished everything it hoped for Saturday at the Fed Cup. Wins by Aleksandra Wozniak and Eugenie Bouchard in World Group II action gives Canada a 2-0 lead over Serbia at Montreals Claude-Robillard Sports Complex. Bouchard beat Serbias Jovana Jaksic in straight sets 6-1, 6-0, after Wozniak beat Serbias Vesna Dolonc 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, earlier in the day. "Its what we wanted to accomplish today, and we did it," said Bouchard, who made quick work of her opponent, winning in straight sets in under an hour. "We can be happy with how today went." To win the first round tie, Canada needs just one more victory on Sunday. "The jobs not over," said Bouchard, whos ranked No. 19 on the WTA Tour. "Anything can happen. We need to be ready for them to come out swinging. Ill be ready. Hopefully we can close it out." Bouchard will play 117th-ranked Dolonc on Sunday afternoon, with Wozniak facing Jaksic afterwards. Sharon Fichman (ranked No. 112) and Gabriela Dabrowski (No. 224) will team up in doubles against Aleksandra Krunic (No. 152) and Nina Stojanovic (unranked). If, however, Bouchard beats Dolonc, Canada will win the tie, and Wozniak will not have to take to the court. Instead, the tie will culminate with the doubles contest. The winning team will have the opportunity to advance from the World Group II to the World Group, which includes the worlds eight best teams. Canada will also have the chance to avenge a 3-2 road loss to Serbia in a 2011 Group II that ultimately relegated the Canadians to a lower division. Wozniak, currently sitting at No. 274 in the world, was on that Canadian team in 2011, her last Fed Cup prior to injuring her shoulder. Wozniak played in only seven tournaments last year because of the injury, but is preparing her comeback. On Saturday, she was feeling healthy, and happy to be competing for her country. "It was a real hill to climb," said Wozniak of her recent injury trouble. "Every game will help me progress, help my game and my confidence. Im going to continue climbing to get back to the top." Down 1-5 in the first set, Wozniak made adjustments to her game and began dictating the run of play. "I stayed concentrated on every single point," said Wozniak, who started going to the net with more confidence midway through the set. "I wanted to set the pace of the game. (Dolonc) wass playing well, and I was missing my shots.dddddddddddd. I held on and took it one point at a time." Wozniak won the next five games, breaking Doloncs serve twice in the process, to take a 6-5 lead. In the deciding game, Wozniak completed the comeback when Dolonc hit the net to double fault on set point. "It was a joke for me to get to 5-1," said Dolonc. "But then she started finding her game. It was getting tighter and tighter. She was feeling more confident, and I was feeling less confident." In the final set, after Dolonc handily took the second 6-2, Wozniak came to the net on match point, forcing Dolonc to miss the baseline. "Its something I want to do," said Wozniak, whos won more games (38) representing Canada at the Fed Cup than any other player. "When I have the chance, I set it up, and I want to come to the net and play aggressive. "I was extremely emotional. I really wanted to celebrate with my team. I play with a lot of emotion when I play for my country. Thats why I have so much success in Fed Cups." Facing a young Serb making her Fed Cup debut, Bouchards match was certainly less of a nail-biter. Already leading 5-1 in the first set, Bouchard fired a forehand winner out of Jaksics reach on set point. In the second set, Jaksic, ranked No. 149, couldnt do much to slow Bouchard down, winning only six points. "I was feeling a bit of pressure," said Jaksic. "I put too much on myself. I had to do too much, and in the end I didnt do anything. I was feeling so slow. My legs were like stone. I couldnt move." Bouchard, who didnt double fault and only made two unforced errors in the second set, won the match when Jaksic sent her final shot long. "She might have been intimidated," said Bouchard. "I dont know. I like to focus on my own play on the court. But I certainly hope so. That would be a good thing." The 19-year-old from Montreal created a buzz last month by reaching the semifinals at the Australian Open, the first Canadian woman to reach a Grand Slam semifinal in 20 years. But eventual tournament champion Li Na of China ended Bouchards impressive run with a straight-sets win. "I definitely have a lot more confidence now," said Bouchard. "In playing games against the best in the world, I get better every time. And thats my goal, to improve every time." ' ' '