Canada's women's national soccer team has sent soccer coach Bev Priestman home after complaints that the team was using drone technology to record an opposing team's training sessions, according to a report released Sunday.
FIFA has ordered Canada Soccer to suspend Priestman for one year, fine him $226,000 and strip Canada of six points in the Olympic women's soccer tournament. Associated Press report.
Canadian officials have reportedly raised concerns about “systemic ethical failings” in the soccer program, and Canadian Soccer Association CEO and executive director Kevin Blue acknowledged that the team may have used drone technology to spy on competition during the recent Copa America event.
According to the Associated Press, a Canadian sports network reported further incidents of drone surveillance involving the Tokyo Olympics. (Related article: Olympic soccer match delayed for hours after fans riot over final decision)
Former Canadian national team player Diana Matheson expressed her support for the players in a post on X. “Canadian players, current and past, know exactly what it means to represent Canada and what it means to be a Canadian athlete. I am with you. Canadians are with you. Last game, next game, every game, we are with you. You take six points away from us? Great, let's go for nine,” she wrote.
— Diana Matheson (@dmatheson8) July 27, 2024
Canadian Olympic Committee CEO David Shoemaker expressed solidarity with the athletes. “We are extremely sorry to the members of the Canadian Women's Olympic Soccer Team, who, to our understanding, had no involvement in this matter,” Shoemaker said.
The Canada Soccer Association and the Canadian Olympic Committee plan to appeal the points deduction to the Special Olympic Tribunal of the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Paris.
