Canada Soccer’s Spying Scandal: Coach Suspended After Drone Incident

The Canadian women’s soccer team is caught up in a controversy after their head coach, Bev Priestman, was suspended for a year due to a spying incident involving a drone. This situation arose when a performance analyst flew a drone over New Zealand‘s practice before their Olympic matchup last week.

According to emails disclosed by FIFA, Priestman hinted that spying could be crucial for teams looking to gain a competitive edge. She mentioned in an email that this was common practice among top teams, suggesting that even the Canadian men’s team was involved in similar activities.

FIFA responded to this incident by imposing some strict penalties. They docked six points from the women’s team and slapped Canada Soccer with a hefty fine of $300,000. Priestman, along with two other staff members, has been banned from any soccer activities for one year.

An independent review is now underway to delve deeper into this issue, which FIFA described as a potential “systemic ethical shortcoming” within the Canadian soccer program. This review will look not only at this specific instance but also at the wider culture surrounding the use of spying.

The controversy kicked off when a performance analyst named Joseph Lombardi admitted to flying his personal drone over the New Zealand team’s practice twice without consulting anyone from the team. Lombardi took full responsibility, acknowledging that his actions were reckless and negligent.

Priestman had previously received a message from an analyst who expressed moral objections to engaging in spying activities. This analyst outlined their concerns regarding their reputation and role within the team, saying, “you will not be asking me to fulfill the role of ‘spying’ in the upcoming camp & future camps.”

In light of the recent revelations, Canada Soccer has launched its own investigation into the matter and is expected to review past practices related to spying, including probing into prior coaching staff and other incidents.

John Herdman, who previously coached the women’s team before taking over the men’s side, denied any involvement in spying activities during his tenure. He emphasized that integrity was paramount to his coaching philosophy, especially at major events like the Olympics and World Cups.

As Canada continues to navigate through this scandal, the women’s soccer team has remained focused on their upcoming Olympic matches, despite the emotional toll this situation has taken on them. Player Vanessa Gilles shared that the team is determined to prove their worth and commitment despite the controversy surrounding them.