Canada Soccer suspends women's team head coach for remainder of Paris Olympics

[saine]

This is a mess that's developing before the opening ceremonies have started.

On July 24th, it was announced by the COC that the Canadian women's soccer team assistant coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joseph Lombardi had been sent home from Paris. Lombardi had been arrested for spying on the New Zealand team with a drone. Head coach Bev Priestman removed herself from coaching the first game of Canada vs. New Zealand (which occurred today, with Canada winning 2-1.)

FIFA has opened proceedings against Canada Soccer, Priestman, Mander and Lombardi. The New Zealand Olympic Committee registered a complaint with the IOC integrity unit. Canada Soccer will be having an independent third body investigate the incident.

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/soccer/canada-soccer-drone-july-24-1.7273360

Lombardi was identified as an "unaccredited analyst" by the Canadian Olympic Committee. Further investigation showed that he is a senior Canada Soccer official. He received an eight month suspended sentence after being charged with maintaining an unmanned aircraft over a prohibited area.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/joseph-lombardi-canada-soccer-drone-1.7275499

Then today, Rick Westhead reported that coaches and contractors for Canada Soccer had been making efforts to film training sessions for years. This includes Tokyo, where the Canadian women won gold.

Canada's men's and women's soccer teams have relied on drones and spying for years, sources say | TSN

Coaching staff and contractors working with Canada’s men’s and women’s national soccer teams have been engaged for years in efforts to film the closed-door training sessions of their opponents, including during the women’s gold-medal winning Olympic tournament in 2021, sources told TSN.

www.tsn.ca

From the COC statement after the story was released, Canada Soccer CEO and general secretary Kevin Blue says:

“Over the past 24 hours, additional information has come to our attention regarding previous drone use against opponents, predating the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. In light of these new revelations, Canada Soccer has made the decision to suspend Women’s National Soccer Team Head Coach, Bev Priestman for the remainder of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and until the completion of our recently announced independent external review.”

 

[4everchan]

I feel terrible for the players.

 

[4everchan]

I agree with the PDG of the COC...I'd be sick to my stomach if Canada lost their gold medal from Tokyo. This is one of the biggest highlight of Sport in Canada.... at the same time, if it goes there, I would completely understand.

What a shameful moment.

I am however wondering, is Canada the only team doing that? Really? It doesn't seem plausible to me that only one team used that technology when so many teams are always looking to get ahead... Reminds me of the Ben Johnson saga... he got caught, yet almost everyone back then was doping... Are drones the new stanozolol ?

 

[4everchan]

Too upset to translate but for those who read French or have a friend called Google translate

It is an interesting read because it does talk about the problems at the top of Soccer Canada's pyramid.

Être Canadien à Paris et avoir honte | Jeux olympiques | Radio-Canada

La fierté canadienne en prend pour son rhume dans le sillage du scandale de l’espionnage à Canada Soccer.

ici.radio-canada.ca

 

[Skater Boy]

I am not sure there is enough evidence to take away their gold medal from 2020(21). However this is shameful. Canada is a hot mess this olympics in all sports. Without Russia they should be looking at increasing their medal count but they have their weakest team in years. Events where they did well in the past including women's soccer, diving, athletics (track and field), swimming and rowing and Swimming Canada is running on fumes While there is more to do worry about than sports surely Canada realizes forget the soccer scandal this is not looking like a very fruitful olympics. Usually they have been growing in medals. but nt this olympics. O Canada you are in trouble. Now you have the shame of the soccer scandal and things are not looking goodin figure skating; You certainly won't get a bronze here at Paris. Forget Cnada this looks to be one of the "worst" olympics ever.

 

[lariko]

This sucks.

 

[saine]

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/soccer/fifa-bans-canada-coach-bev-priestman-1-year-1.7277691

FIFA stripped Canada of 6 points in the Olympic tournament. Priestman, Lombardi and Mander are all banned for one year. Canada Soccer has been fined 200,000 Swiss francs.

 

[Arigato]

I can't stand cheating in any sport, no matter what the method is. This is ridiculous.

 

[DizzyFrenchie]

From information widely published, it seems clear that the Canadian Soccer Federation is heavily involved, but is there anything against the coaches? Maybe they had already gathered information? But would they have known that the source of this information was cheating? I hope that the order givers will be severely punished, not the "lampistes" (scapegoats? Lower-ranked people who get punished instead of the real high-ranking culprits).

 

[4everchan]

Canada is a hot mess this olympics in all sports. Without Russia they should be looking at increasing their medal count but they have their weakest team in years. Events where they did well in the past including women's soccer, diving, athletics (track and field), swimming and rowing and Swimming Canada is running on fumes While there is more to do worry about than sports surely Canada realizes forget the soccer scandal this is not looking like a very fruitful olympics. Usually they have been growing in medals. but nt this olympics. O Canada you are in trouble. Now you have the shame of the soccer scandal and things are not looking goodin figure skating; You certainly won't get a bronze here at Paris. Forget Cnada this looks to be one of the "worst" olympics ever.

Canada is doing just fine...best Olympics since boycotted games of 1984.

ETA As a matter of fact, this morning, Canada received another gold medal, beating their best gold total (LA 1984 excluded) and also beating their overall medal haul. These are the best ever games for Canada!!!