Canadian Olympic Committee removes head coach Priestman amid drone spying scandal
PARIS: The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) has removed head coach Bev Priestman following her suspension by Canada Soccer due to a drone spying scandal. This controversy has cast a shadow over the 2020 Olympic gold medalists on a global scale. The Canadian women’s squad will now be led by assistant coach Andy Spence for the remainder of the Paris games, the COC announced on Thursday.
“Over the past 24 hours, additional information has come to our attention regarding previous drone use against opponents, predating the Paris 2024 Olympic Games,” stated Kevin Blue, CEO & General Secretary of Canada Soccer, in an emailed statement.
“In light of these new revelations, Canada Soccer has made the decision to suspend Women’s National 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.”
Despite the turmoil, Canada managed to secure a 2-1 victory against New Zealand in their opening match of the Paris Olympics on Thursday. Priestman voluntarily sat out this game as the scandal unfolded earlier in the week.
