Canada Soccer has announced that women’s national team head coach Bev Priestman and two of her assistants will not be returning to their roles following a one-year suspension by FIFA over a drone incident at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
An independent investigation found issues with the “unacceptable culture and insufficient oversight” within Canada’s national teams. The probe identified two coaches who directed “improper surveillance” of opponents prior to the Olympics, though it found no evidence that players viewed the drone footage.
Canada Soccer said the search for a new women’s team head coach will begin shortly. The organization is also implementing changes, including mandatory reporting of unethical behavior and new software for confidential reporting, to address the problems uncovered by the investigation.
The drone scandal resulted in Canada being fined and docked six points at the Olympics, despite the team going on to beat New Zealand 2-1 after the incident. The independent report did not substantiate allegations of drone use by the Canadian men’s team, but it did identify potential violations by a former men’s coach, reported to be John Herdman.
Canada Soccer’s CEO Kevin Blue acknowledged the findings reveal a “past pattern of an unacceptable culture” that the organization is determined to address with urgency as it works to set a new course.
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