(AP) — A deadline for the U.S. women’s hockey team to decide whether they will boycott the upcoming world championships passed Thursday without players changing their mind in a standoff with USA Hockey over wages.

“We are focused on the issue of equitable support and stand by our position,” the players said in a statement released shortly after 5 p.m. EDT. “We continue to be grateful for the encouragement and loyalty of our fans.”

The powerhouse U.S. women’s program has been plunged into chaos less than a week until the scheduled start of training camp and just over two weeks from defending its world championship gold medal on home ice in Plymouth, Michigan. Coach Ken Klee was replaced by Robb Stauber earlier this month, and now it’s unclear how USA Hockey will fill its roster for a tournament it has won six of the past eight times and was expected to serve as a measuring stick for the South Korea Winter Olympics just 11 months away.

It was not immediately clear what USA Hockey’s next step will be ahead of the world championships, which begin March 31.

“The organization’s clear objective is to continue to work toward ensuring the players that have been selected for the team are those that represent the United States in the world championship,” USA Hockey spokesman Dave Fischer said.

Players are seeking more compensation and a four-year deal. The deadline came one day after the team announced it would boycott the tournament, citing a lack of progress in labor talks.

Stars such as Hilary Knight, Amanda Kessel, captain Meghan Duggan and twins Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson and Monique Lamoureux-Morando are leading the charge to skip the tournament.