FIFA suspends Canadian women’s coach Bev Priestman 1 year in drone-spying scandal

FIFA came down hard on Canada Soccer on Saturday for a drone spying scandal, deducting six points from the Canadian women’s soccer team at the Paris Games and banning three coaches, including head coach Bev Priestman, for one year each.

The punishments include a fine of C$313,000 for the national federation in a case that has spiralled over the last week. Two assistant coaches were caught using drones to spy on New Zealand’s practices before the teams played their opening game last Thursday, a 2-1 Canada win.

Canada Soccer was held responsible for not ensuring its staff complied with tournament rules. Priestman, who led Canada to the Olympic title in Tokyo in 2021, already was suspended by the national federation then removed from the Olympic tournament.

Head coach Bev Priestman, who led Canada to the Olympic title in Tokyo in 2021, already was suspended by the national soccer federation and then removed from the Olympic tournament. She is now banned from all soccer for one year.

The FIFA decision came down after the team wrapped its late-afternoon training session at Stade Auguste Dury ahead of Sunday’s game against host France.

“Obviously what has transpired has been very unfortunate and difficult,” said acting head coach Andy Spence, who spoke about a half-hour before the announcement was made.

“For that, I think it’s an opportunity for us to say that that doesn’t align personally with what I believe in, with what Canada Soccer believes in, the values that we believe in and the team believes in, and I had no party to it.

“I think now all of my energy and all of my focus has to be on pushing the team and helping the team move forward.”

Kevin Blue, the CEO and general secretary of Canada Soccer, said in a statement the organization is “disappointed” by the impact of the decision on the athletes.

“We are exploring options to appeal on the basis that it is excessively punitive towards our women’s national team who were not involved in any unethical behaviour,” he wrote.

“Canada Soccer took swift action to suspend the implicated staff members and is also proceeding with a broad independent review that may lead to further disciplinary action.”

The CEO and secretary general of the Canadian Olympic Committee, David Shoemaker, echoed the sentiments.

“We feel terrible for the athletes on the Canadian women’s Olympic soccer team who as far as we understand played no role in this matter,” he wrote.

“In support of the athletes, together with Canada Soccer, we are exploring rights of appeal related to the six-point deduction at this Olympic tournament.”

The coaches and Canada Soccer can challenge their sanctions at the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s special Olympic court in Paris. That tribunal is set up for urgent hearings and verdicts at the Olympics.

The points deduction, if upheld by CAS judges, does not eliminate Canada from the tournament. It could mean the team must win all three games in Group A and hope to advance with three points, likely as runner-up in the standings.

Team analyst Joseph Lombardi and assistant coach Jasmine Mander were also suspended from taking part in any soccer-related activity for one year.

FIFA fast-tracked its own disciplinary process by asking its appeals judges to handle the case.

FIFA judges found Priestman and her two assistants “were each found responsible for offensive behaviour and violation of the principles of fair play.”

Canada Soccer was found responsible for failing to respect the applicable FIFA regulations, the statement said, in connection with its failure to ensure the compliance of its participating officials of the (tournament) with the prohibition on flying drones over any training sites.

Priestman, who took over the Canadian women on Nov. 1, 2020, signed a contract extension through the 2027 Women’s World Cup back in January after previously working on a rolling contract.

Canada Soccer has initiated its own independent external review.

With files from CityNews’ Nick Westoll