The recent scandal involving Bev Priestman, the head coach of Canada’s women’s national soccer team, has rocked the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC). The COC announced on Thursday that Priestman has been removed from the country’s Olympic soccer team due to her involvement in the use of drones to spy on opponents‘ practice sessions. The decision came after Canada Soccer suspended Priestman for the remainder of the tournament, following a complaint from Canada’s opening opponent, New Zealand, to the International Olympic Committee’s integrity unit regarding drones flying over closed practice sessions.
In response to Priestman’s suspension, the COC stated that Assistant Coach Andy Spence would lead the Women’s National Soccer Team for the remainder of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. This decision followed a report from TSN revealing that Canada’s women’s and men’s soccer teams have a history of using drones to record opponents‘ closed-door training sessions, dating back several years. Canada Soccer CEO and general secretary Kevin Blue commented on the situation, announcing an independent external review to investigate the matter further.
Fallout of the Initial Complaint
As a result of the initial complaint from New Zealand, two staff members, Assistant Coach Jasmine Mander and Canada Soccer analyst Joseph Lombardi, were sent home from the Olympics. Despite Priestman stepping away from coaching duties for the opening game against New Zealand, which Canada won 2-1, questions remain about her accountability in the drone scandal. Priestman, who had recently signed a contract to coach Canada through the 2027 Women’s World Cup, insisted that she had no knowledge of the drone use during practice sessions.
Bev Priestman’s coaching career has been a mix of success and controversy. She took over as head coach of Canada’s women’s national soccer team in November 2020, following the departure of Kenneth Heiner-Møller. Priestman led the team to a gold medal at the 2021 Olympics but faced an early exit in the group stage of the World Cup the following year. With a record of 28 wins, nine losses, and 10 draws, Priestman’s coaching style has been both praised and scrutinized.
Before joining Canada Soccer, Priestman spent five years with the Canadian Soccer Association in various coaching roles. She then returned to her native England in June 2018 to coach the women’s under-18 team and serve as an assistant coach with the senior women’s team. Prior to her time in England, she spent over four years as the head of football development in New Zealand before departing in June 2013.
The fallout of Bev Priestman’s removal from Canada’s Olympic soccer team has raised serious concerns about ethics and fair play in sports. The use of drones to spy on opponents‘ practice sessions goes against the spirit of competition and has tarnished Priestman’s reputation as a coach. As the investigation into the drone scandal continues, the future of Canada’s women’s national soccer team remains uncertain.
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