July 28th 2024.
In Marseille, France during the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship, a complaint was made against the Canadian women's national team for allegedly filming an opponent's training session. This tournament was used as a qualifier for the Women's World Cup last summer. The shocking revelation is a result of an ongoing scandal involving drone spying at the Olympics, which has caused quite a stir within the Canadian team, who are the defending champions.
As a consequence, FIFA has banned coach Bev Priestman from coaching for a year and imposed a hefty fine of $226,000 on Canada Soccer. In addition, six points were deducted from Canada's score in the Olympics women's soccer tournament. While Canada is considering an appeal, this incident has raised concerns about the ethical practices of both the men's and women's soccer teams, and whether this issue is more widespread. Officials from Canada have admitted to a "systemic ethical shortcoming" within their teams.
Kevin Blue, the CEO and general secretary of Canada Soccer, revealed that he was made aware of a possible drone incident involving the men's national team at the recent Copa America tournament. However, he clarified that it did not affect the tournament's competitive integrity, although he did not provide any further details. When asked if men's coach Jesse Marsch was aware of the incident, Blue stated that Marsch became aware after the fact and has condemned the practice to his staff. Canada reached the semifinals of the Copa America, where they lost 2-0 to Argentina.
A CONCACAF official confirmed that a complaint was made at the 2022 W Championship, but did not disclose any further information. The tournament final was won by the United States against Canada in Mexico, with both countries securing a spot in the Women's World Cup and Olympics. According to sources, there have been other incidents of surveillance, including at the Tokyo Games, but these remain unconfirmed.
When asked for a response, FIFA declined to comment on whether they would investigate further into the matter of drone spying in soccer. This scandal is undoubtedly an embarrassment for the Canadian federation, especially as they are co-hosting the 2026 Men's World Cup with the United States and Mexico. Toronto and Vancouver will be hosting some of the 104 games in the tournament, which has now expanded to include 48 teams instead of 32. The games will also be played in 11 cities in the United States and three in Mexico.
It is likely that Canada's sanctions will be brought to the Court of Arbitration for Sport's special Olympic court in Paris. Canada Soccer and the Canadian Olympic Committee announced that they plan to appeal the six-point deduction, which could potentially hinder the Canadian women's team from advancing to the knockout round. In a statement, David Shoemaker, the CEO and secretary general of the Olympic committee, expressed sympathy for the players who have played no role in this matter. He also stated that they are exploring their options for an appeal in support of the athletes.
The Canadian women's team was scheduled to play against France on Sunday night in Saint-Etienne. However, with coach Bev Priestman suspended, interim coach Andy Spence along with assistant Neil Wood and goalkeepers coach Jen Herst are leading the team. Spence admitted that this was a challenging situation for them, but they are doing their best to support the players.
Despite the six-point deduction, Canada managed to win their first match against New Zealand 2-1 and currently have three points. In order to advance to the knockout round, they would need to win against France and Colombia in their final group match on Wednesday. Former national team player Diana Matheson expressed her support for the players and stated that she stands by them in this difficult time. She also encouraged them to keep fighting and not let the deduction affect their determination to win. The scandal broke out when New Zealand complained about drones flying over their practice, leading to two team staff members being sent home. Coach Bev Priestman initially removed herself from the opener but was later suspended for the entire tournament. FIFA has launched a disciplinary inquiry, and Canada Soccer has announced that they will conduct an independent review.
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