Soccer-Canadian Olympic chief says Priestman likely knew of drone use
Canada Soccer announced that Beverly Priestman, the women's football manager, has been suspended from her position as Olympic head coach following the incident involving a drone flown over New Zealand's training session, BBC reported.
This action was taken by the federation based on the emergence of additional information regarding previous drone usage against opponents predating the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Priestman voluntarily withdrew from her team's opening victory over New Zealand, and her assistant, Jasmine Mander, was also sent home along with an "unaccredited analyst" named Joseph Lombardi.
Joseph Lombardi, who had already been assigned an eight-month suspended jail sentence in France for flying a drone without a license in an urban area, was found to have played a role in the incident. In response, Canada Soccer CEO Kevin Blue confirmed that Priestman would be suspended for the remainder of the Games, pending an independent external review. Assistant coach Andy Spence will assume the coaching responsibilities in Priestman's absence, leading the defending Olympic champions in their next match against France on Sunday.
During a news conference, Canadian Olympic Committee CEO David Shoemaker stated that Canada Soccer's conclusion that Priestman needed to be suspended, based on their gathered facts, was a key consideration. Shoemaker affirmed that he had reviewed the available information and also gathered additional details, which led him to conclude that Priestman was likely aware of the incidents. Priestman herself took responsibility for the actions of her colleagues in a statement earlier, expressing remorse and assuring that the conduct did not align with the team's values.
While FIFA initiated its own disciplinary procedures against Priestman, Lombardi, and Mander, Shoemaker expressed that he was comfortable with the team competing as it is. However, he emphasized the commitment to address any further questions that may arise by continuing to gather additional information and take appropriate action.
Beverly Priestman, originally from County Durham, began her coaching career with Canada's U17 women's team in 2013 before working her way up to the U20 side. She then returned to England to coach the England U17 women's team and subsequently served as an assistant coach for Phil Neville's England women's national team. In 2021, she led the Canadian team to win Olympic gold at Tokyo, defeating Sweden in the final. However, the recent revelations about the use of drones for spying on opposition teams, pre-dating the Paris Games, cast a shadow over Priestman's future as head coach, post-Olympics. The continuous use of such tactics raises questions about authorization, knowledge, and duration.
The Canadian Soccer Federation is likely to investigate whether this issue is an isolated incident within the women's national team or an organizational matter that extends more broadly.
Read also: