Canadian women’s soccer team investigates drone spying on opponents, finds it has been done for 2 years
Foreign media reported on the progress of the independent committee that the Canadian Football. Federation has requested cooperation from outside personnel to investigate the scandal of the Canadian women’s football team’s coaching staff. Using drones to spy on their opponents. During the women’s football match at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France in the middle of last year.
The investigation revealed that some coaching staff objected to the drone use on multiple occasions between 2022 and 2024. While none of the Canadian players were shown any drone footage.
The scandal came to light at the Olympics when a drone was spotted flying over the New Zealand women’s soccer team’s practice field before a ยูฟ่าเบท group game against Canada. The Canadian women’s soccer staff were immediately sent home. While national coach Beverly Priestman was removed from her position shortly afterward. Soccer Canada announced that Priestman would not return to coaching the national team.
The investigation report also found no evidence of illegal drone use at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Where the Canadian women’s soccer team won the gold medal.
As the Canadian Soccer Federation vows to change its operating procedures and management structure to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
“The investigation found that the drone incidents at the Paris Games were a cultural misunderstanding within the national team. And we are working to make changes to prevent further tarnishing of the trust and love of the Canadian football federation,” Canadian Soccer Federation CEO Kevin Blue said in a statement.