Bev Priestman, the head coach of the Canada women’s soccer team, was officially fired on Tuesday after an independent review linked her to a drone surveillance controversy during the Paris Olympics.
Alongside her, assistant coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joseph Lombardi were also dismissed as Canada Soccer released the findings of the investigation.
Concerns arose when New Zealand reported a drone hovering over their practice sessions before the Olympic tournament began. This incident led FIFA to impose a hefty fine of $228,000 on Canada Soccer and deduct six points from the team’s standings. As a result, Priestman, Mander, and Lombardi faced a one-year suspension from soccer’s international governing body.
Despite these setbacks, Canada managed to progress to the group stage but was eliminated by Germany in the quarterfinals after a tense penalty shootout.
The investigation, conducted by attorney Sonia Regenbogen from Mathews, Dinsdale & Clark, concluded that there was no evidence suggesting that Canadian players had accessed the drone footage. However, it did uncover that assistant coaches and other support staff felt unable to question the head coach’s authority.
Priestman, who led Canada to a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, was not available for immediate comment. The review indicated that while no drones were utilized during the Tokyo Games, two national team coaches had engaged in inappropriate surveillance activities prior to the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.
Additionally, the investigation dismissed allegations that the men’s team used drones for spying at the Copa America. However, it flagged “potential violations” involving former men’s coach John Herdman, who could not be interviewed due to scheduling conflicts.
Canada Soccer noted in its investigation summary that potential breaches of the Canada Soccer Code of Conduct and Ethics were identified concerning Herdman. The organization has initiated a disciplinary process to address these potential violations.
Herdman departed from Canada Soccer last year and is now the head coach of Toronto FC in Major League Soccer.
In a statement, Toronto FC indicated that the organization would carefully review the report’s findings in the following days, and both MLSE (Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment) and Toronto FC would refrain from further comments until the review is complete.
Herdman previously addressed the issue in July, stating, “I can clarify that at a FIFA World Cup, pinnacle event, Olympic Games, or Youth World Cup, those activities have not been undertaken.”
