Canada women’s football manager Beverly Priestman has been suspended by the Canadian Soccer Association and removed as Olympic head coach.
The decision comes after a drone was flown over New Zealand’s training session ahead of their Olympic match.
Investigations revealed that the use of drones to spy on opponents was a previous practice, prompting the Canadian Soccer Association to take stricter action.
Priestman, along with her assistant Jasmine Mander and analyst Joseph Lombardi, were implicated in the scandal. Lombardi has already been handed an eight-month suspended jail sentence for flying a drone without a license.
Priestman has admitted responsibility for the actions of her colleagues and has stepped down from her coaching role for the opening match.
However, she has been suspended for the entire Olympics while an independent investigation takes place. Assistant coach Andy Spence will lead the team in Priestman’s absence.
Both the Canadian Olympic Committee and FIFA have launched their own investigations into the matter. The scandal has cast a shadow over Canada’s Olympic campaign, with the team facing increased scrutiny and pressure.
