FIFA suspends Canadian women’s soccer coach after Olympic spying: NPR

New Zealand midfielder Macey Fraser (right) and Canadian striker Janine Beckie battle for the ball during group play at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Saint-Etienne on Thursday.

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PARIS – The coach of Canada’s women’s national soccer team has been suspended from the sport for a year following a spying scandal at this summer’s Olympic Games, a FIFA disciplinary committee announced Saturday.

In addition, Canada’s Olympic team, which is defending its gold medal won at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, will be penalized with a six-point deduction from its overall group stage result, according to FIFA, a move that essentially guarantees the team’s elimination from the race.

Saturday’s decision by football’s international governing body follows revelations of spying activities that have rocked the women’s Olympic football tournament, a top international event second only to the FIFA Women’s World Cup in importance.

When details of the spying emerged on Friday, Canadian Olympic Committee Chairman David Shoemaker said, “We continue to be shocked and disappointed.” He told reporters, “We are very frustrated, and I’m sure all Canadians are feeling the same way right now.”

The scandal began with the arrest of a man in Saint-Etienne, France. The local prosecutor said that on two separate occasions, a man with links to the Canadian team “used a drone to film the New Zealand women’s team training behind closed doors,” the statement said.

The head coach of the Canadian women’s national soccer team, Beverly Priestman, has been suspended from the sport for a year due to her involvement in a drone spying scandal.

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The footage, taken on July 22, shows the New Zealand players following their coach’s instructions. There are also images from July 20 when they were training at the Michon Stadium in Saint-Etienne – a previously unknown incident that he admitted to during questioning.

The Canadian women’s team coach, Beverly Priestman, had initially announced that she would voluntarily sit out Canada’s game against New Zealand on Thursday. (Canada won 2-1.)

On Thursday, the Canadian Soccer Association announced that it had suspended Priestman for the remainder of the Olympic Games.

“Over the last 24 hours, we have learned more information regarding previous drone deployments against opponents ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games,” Canada Soccer CEO Kevin Blue said in a statement. “In light of these new revelations, Canada Soccer has made the decision to suspend the head coach of the women’s national soccer team, Bev Priestman, for the remainder of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and pending the completion of our recently announced independent external review.”

“We are considering investigating this in a professional and thorough manner and then we will make decisions about what to do once we have solid information,” Canada Soccer CEO Kevin Blue said at a press conference on Friday.

The Canadian team will continue to be led by assistant coach Andy Spence for the remainder of the Olympic Games.