The reputation of one of the most esteemed coaches in women’s football took a severe hit on Friday as the spying scandal surrounding the Canada team resulted in Bev Priestman’s disgraceful removal from the Paris Olympics.
Three years prior, Priestman, hailing from County Durham in England, led Canada to one of their most remarkable sporting accomplishments by clinching a historic gold medal in women’s football. She received back-to-back nominations for the Best FIFA Coach of the Year award following her success, having served as Phil Neville’s assistant during England’s 2019 World Cup campaign. Her reputation in the sport was such that when Neville announced his departure from the England head coach position in April 2020, Priestman was the initial frontrunner among bookmakers to take over.
However, any such accolades now feel like a distant memory after Priestman was suspended, leaving the sporting community with pressing questions concerning the 38-year-old. Foremost among these are how much she was aware of the drone surveillance of rivals and the duration of such actions.
The latter inquiry has gained particular significance following comments from David Shoemaker, the chief executive of the Canadian Olympic Committee, who stated on Friday that new revelations from Soccer Canada indicated Priestman was likely aware of the drone surveillance that has triggered this scandal in France, making him feel ill regarding the potential implications of past behaviors.
“There seems to be information that could tarnish our Olympic success in Tokyo,” he expressed at a press conference. “It makes me feel unwell, to think there could be elements that question … one of my favorite Olympic moments. I trust Canada Soccer will conduct a thorough investigation, including into events in Tokyo. [We’re] committed to ensuring they get to the heart of this matter.”
TSN, the Canadian sports network, reported that the use of drones by the Canada team was not an isolated incident, with two sources indicating to TSN that other opponents’ private training sessions had been recorded, including during the 2021 Olympics. Kevin Blue, Canada Soccer’s chief executive and general secretary, issued a statement regarding Priestman’s suspension, stating: “In the past 24 hours, additional information has come to our attention concerning previous drone use against rivals, predating the Paris 2024 Games.”
Shoemaker further remarked on Friday: “I’ve reviewed some of the evidence they possess and we have gathered further information ourselves which leads me to conclude that she [Priestman] was very likely aware of these incidents.”
In Tokyo, Canada secured a penalty shootout win against Sweden in the gold-medal match, capping off a campaign during which Priestman earned widespread acclaim for her tactical prowess, particularly in their semi-final win over the favored United States. There are growing concerns that those achievements may now be irreparably tarnished.
Investigations are underway with a sense of urgency, but regardless of their outcomes, this deeply embarrassing incident for Canada Soccer adds to a lengthy list of troubling situations indicative of broader dysfunction within the sport. The nation faced serious allegations in 2019 concerning abusive conduct by an elite coach from 2008, as uncovered by the Guardian.
In February 2023, the women’s players in Canada went on strike over pay equity concerns and budget reductions, facing legal threats from Canada Soccer. A temporary arrangement was reached in July 2023 to ensure minimum equal pay with the men’s team, however, a long-term solution remains unresolved.
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Several Canadian Soccer officials have faced criticism from within the country’s parliament for alleged poor governance, and as recently as June 2023, there were rising concerns regarding the organization’s potential bankruptcy.
Meanwhile, on the men’s side, Canada’s three MLS teams located in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver reportedly contributed over $1.5 million (£1.2 million) to subsidize the salary of “MLS Canada men’s national team head coach” Jesse Marsch this year due to Canada Soccer’s financial distress that made it unable to cover Marsch’s wages.
Nonetheless, shortcomings in governance and allegations of cheating in competitions are markedly different issues. The integrity of Priestman and the overall perception of Canada’s women’s national program will now be subjected to rigorous examination. She is under contract until the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, but her prospects of participating in South America hinge more on off-field matters than her team’s on-field performance.
Priestman’s assistant, former Everton women’s manager Andy Spence, now faces the challenging task of steering Canada as they attempt to defend their Olympic title. They enjoyed a narrow 2-1 victory over New Zealand in their opening match on Thursday, yet the focus was predominantly on the scandal rather than the game itself.
The Olympic Games have been no stranger to cheating allegations, but this particular scandal is especially shocking within women’s football. Immediate explanations will be demanded from Priestman as her career, one of the most promising in the sport, finds itself at a critical juncture, and the external perception of her team’s accomplishments over the last four years hangs precariously in the balance.
