Canada head coach Bev Priestman during the Women’s World Cup match between Canada and Ireland in Perth, Australia, in July 2023.
Gary Day/AP
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Gary Day/AP
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PARIS — Canada’s sports minister says the government will stop funding Three football officials suspended linked to Team Canada’s use of spy drones, as fallout from the scandal continues to spread.
After it was revealed that drones were used to spy on Canada’s opponents during training sessions at the Paris Olympics, soccer’s governing body FIFA female coach suspended Bev Priestman for one year. Two other Team Canada employees were fired and also banned for one year.
Sports Minister Carla Qualtrough has issued a strongly worded statement on Sunday when it announced that Sport Canada, which sponsors the women’s program, would stop providing financial support to the three officials while they are sanctioned by FIFA.
“There is a deeply troubling pattern of behaviour at Canada Soccer,” Qualtrough said. “We must, and will, get to the bottom of this matter. The Government of Canada will closely monitor the investigation and the outcome of the ongoing Canada Soccer process.”
Canada is the defending gold medalist and ranked eighth in the world. Their use of drones was first featured last week; allegations that their staff had spied on the lower-ranked New Zealand team on the eve of the nations’ opening group match initially culminated in the arrest and eight-month prison sentence of a man linked to the Canadian team. The man, an analyst for the team before he was fired, “had actually filmed a closed-door training session of the New Zealand women’s team, with the help of a drone,” French prosecutors said in a statement.
Another FIFA penalty includes a six-point ban on Canada in the Olympic soccer tournament, which virtually guarantees the team will not advance beyond the group stage.
Canada Soccer, which suspended coach Priestman for the remainder of the Paris Games, said it had commissioned an independent external review of the incident. Assistant coach Andy Spence is leading the team for the remainder of the Games.
There are indications that spying had been going on for years leading up to the scandal in Paris.
“This issue has caused significant distraction and embarrassment to Team Canada and all Canadians in Paris and across the country,” Qualtrough wrote. “It is regrettable.”
“As events continue to unfold on this issue,” she continued, “I encourage Canadians to cheer on all of our incredible Olympic athletes. They have worked hard and deserve our continued support.”
