The Canadian women’s soccer team’s Olympic campaign has been further disrupted as head coach Bev Priestman was suspended and removed from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. This decision came after new information revealed a history of drone use to spy on opponents, predating the current Olympics. The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) took swift action, suspending Priestman for the remainder of the Games and until the completion of an independent external review.The scandal has deepened with revelations that both the women’s and men’s national teams may have been using drones to record opponents’ closed-door training sessions for several years, including during the 2021 Olympic tournament in Tokyo. Two anonymous sources told TSN that the men’s national team also engages in drone spying.The incident that sparked the current controversy involved a drone flying over New Zealand’s training session. As a result, video analyst Joey Lombardi was arrested and sentenced to eight months in prison with a suspended sentence. Assistant coach Jasmine Mander, who reported Lombardi’s actions, was also forced to leave the Olympics.FIFA has launched disciplinary proceedings against Canada Soccer, Priestman, and two staff members. The Canadian Soccer Association has apologized for the incidents and announced an external investigation.Despite the controversy, the Canadian team, as reigning Olympic champions, remains focused on their performance. They won their opening match against New Zealand 2-1. Assistant coach Andy Spence has been appointed to lead the team for the remainder of the tournament.The scandal has sparked criticism, with former player Amy Walsh stating that the players benefit from the coaches’ cheating. Defender Vanessa Gilles expressed the team’s frustration and humiliation, saying, ‘We are not cheaters. It doesn’t reflect our values as players and what we want to represent as athletes at the Olympics.’
Key points
- Canadian women’s soccer coach Bev Priestman suspended and removed from Paris 2024 Olympics due to drone spying scandal.
- Scandal potentially involves both women’s and men’s national teams, with a history of drone use predating current Olympics.
- FIFA has launched disciplinary proceedings, and an independent external review is underway.
- Assistant coach Andy Spence to lead the team for the remainder of the tournament.
Contradictions👾While most sources report that Priestman was suspended and removed from the Olympics, one source (Metro) states that she was ‘suspended and sent home’, implying she was physically removed from Paris.
