FIFA suspends Canadian women’s coach Bev Priestman for one year over drone spying scandal

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

The penalties include a fine of C$313,000 for the national association in a case that escalated over the past week. Two assistant coaches were caught using drones to spy on New Zealand teams training before the teams played their opening match last Thursday, which Canada won 2-1.

Canada Soccer was blamed for its personnel not adhering to tournament rules. Priestman, who led Canada to the 2021 Olympic title in Tokyo, has already been suspended by the national association subsequently excluded from the Olympic tournament.

Head coach Bev Priestman, who led Canada to the Olympic title in Tokyo in 2021, has already been suspended by the national football association and was subsequently excluded from the Olympic tournament. She is now banned from all football for a year.

FIFA’s decision came after the team completed their late afternoon training session at the Stade Auguste Dury ahead of Sunday’s match against hosts France.

“It’s obvious that what happened was very unfortunate and difficult,” said acting head coach Andy Spence, who spoke about half an hour before the announcement.

“I think this is an opportunity for us to say that this is not consistent with my personal beliefs, with the beliefs of Canada Soccer, with the values ​​that we believe in and that the team believes in, and that I had no part in this.

“I think now I have to put all my energy and focus into pushing the team forward and helping them move forward.”

Messages left with Canada Soccer and the Canadian Olympic Committee were not immediately returned.

The coaches and Canada Soccer can appeal their sanctions before the Special Olympics Tribunal of the International Arbitration for Sport in Paris, which is set up to hold urgent hearings and decisions during the Olympic Games.

The point deduction, if confirmed by the CAS arbitrators, does not mean Canada is out of the tournament. It could mean the team must win all three games in Group A and hope to advance with three points, probably in second place.

In addition, team analyst Joseph Lombardi and assistant coach Jasmine Mander were suspended from participation in all football-related activities for one year.

FIFA accelerated its own disciplinary proceedings by instructing its appeal judges to handle the case.

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

Canada Soccer is being held responsible for violating FIFA’s current rules, the statement said. The club failed to ensure that officials participating in the tournament complied with the ban on drone flights over training grounds.

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

Canada Soccer has initiated its own independent external review.