A scandal involving drone surveillance has cast a shadow over Canadian soccer, following the women’s team’s unsuccessful final appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport just before a critical match at the Paris Games. The court’s ruling adds to what has already been a “profoundly disappointing” week for the sport in Canada and represents another hurdle for the defending Olympic champions.
This controversy, centered around the use of a drone to observe the rival New Zealand team, has significantly impacted Canadian soccer, resulting in severe repercussions for the team. Three staff members, including head coach Bev Priestman, are now banned from organized soccer for one year, while Canada Soccer faces a fine of $313,000. Additionally, FIFA, the international governing body for the sport, has imposed a six-point penalty on the team.
On Wednesday, a panel of three judges at CAS rejected Canada’s appeal against the point deduction. However, Clare Rustad, a former player for Canada at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, mentioned that a sudden change from the court would have been “disruptive” to all teams participating in the tournament.
“Fair play was compromised, and an infraction occurred. An attempt to manipulate the results took place, making a results-based consequence fitting,” Rustad conveyed to the Guardian. “However, the points deduction considerably impacts how a team prepares for and approaches their final group stage matches.”
Canada’s Olympics committee and Canada Soccer had asserted that the ruling – equal to the loss of two victories – unfairly penalizes the athletes.
“The challenge lies in acknowledging that this is a team sanction – it is not directed at the players alone, but rather at the entire team, which includes the coaching staff and everyone involved,” Rustad explained.
“I appreciate FIFA’s prompt and decisive action, and I hope they continue this approach in the future. There are certainly other domains within football, such as combating bigotry, that would benefit from similar swift disciplinary measures.”
Before the court’s decision, Priestman expressed her deep disappointment regarding the scandal, stating she was “absolutely heartbroken” for the players.
“I sincerely apologize for the repercussions this situation has caused for each of them,” Priestman conveyed through her legal representatives. Although the head coach had previously distanced herself from the initial match against New Zealand, she claimed ignorance regarding her staff’s actions.
Nevertheless, emails presented as evidence to the FIFA Appeal Committee imply that Priestman had inquired about how to manage a staff member who declined to engage in spying for ethical reasons, as reported by the Globe and Mail.
“This is standard procedure for the analyst, and I am aware that similar operations occur on the men’s side,” Priestman wrote in an email dated March 20, 2024, characterizing the surveillance as a “scouting” tactic.
“In response to whether she was aware of the spying, there is simply no satisfactory answer. If she knew and did nothing, she was complicit; if she was unaware, she lost control of her team,” Rustad noted. “I anticipate that more details will continue to emerge, but this entire situation has been incredibly disheartening.”
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Earlier this week, Canada’s sports minister, Carla Qualtrough, pointed to a “deeply concerning” pattern of behavior within Canada Soccer, including assertions that the men’s team had previously employed drones for spying during competitions. “We will thoroughly investigate this matter,” Qualtrough affirmed.
Sport Canada is also withholding funding from Priestman and her two suspended assistants, Joseph Lombardi and Jasmine Mander.
In their pursuit of defending their 2020 gold medal, Canada started strong with a victory against New Zealand, followed by a thrilling win over France. The team’s upcoming match against Colombia on Wednesday evening is a must-win to progress beyond the group stage.
With the absence of a head coach, Rustad noted the players have displayed “incredible” leadership on the field.
“For those observing, there has been an escalating feeling of unease as the tournament has unfolded,” she remarked. “The players remain focused on achieving the results they require. Yet for everyone involved, this week has felt akin to a month.”
