Canada’s women’s national team head coach, Bev Priestman, has been fired after having been caught using drones to spy on New Zealand’s closed training sessions ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Priestman has been officially removed from her a role at the Paris games after being suspended by Canada Soccer, according to a statement issued by the Canadian Olympic Committee today. Assistant coach Andy Spence will take over as the team’s coach following their 2-1 victory over New Zealand during the openers.
FIFA’s disciplinary committee has launched an investigation of Priestman and two members of her coaching staff.
Among the staff members being investigated is analyst Joseph Lombardi, who was caught red-handed by French police piloting a drone to spy on a New Zealand closed training session on Monday, reported The Globe.
The Canadian team (both men’s and women’s) has a history of spying on opposition teams using drones. A notable example occurred during the women’s gold-medal winning Olympic tournament in 2021, according to source from TSN.