FIFA’s disciplinary committee has opened proceedings against Canada Soccer and several individuals, including head coach Bev Priestman, amid claims a drone was used to spy on Olympic rivals New Zealand.
Assistant coach Jasmine Mander and Joseph Lombardi, an unaccredited analyst with Canada Soccer, have been sent home in connection with what the Canadian Olympic Committee has said it believes to be two separate instances of a drone being used to record Football Ferns training sessions.
Priestman, once the assistant to former Lionesses boss Phil Neville, has announced she will not take charge of the defending Olympic champions for Thursday’s New Zealand clash, their tournament opener, with ex-Everton manager Andy Spence filling in.
A statement read: “The FIFA disciplinary committee has opened proceedings against Canada Soccer, Ms Beverly Priestman, Mr Joseph Lombardi and Ms Jasmine Mander due to the potential breach of article 13 of the FIFA disciplinary code and article 6.1 of the regulations Olympic football tournaments games of the XXXIII Olympiad Paris 2024 – final competition, following incidents involving a non-accredited member of the Canadian delegation at the Women’s Olympic football tournament, who is believed to have used a drone to record the New Zealand women’s football team.
“The matter will be submitted for the consideration of the disciplinary committee in the next days.”
Canada Soccer president Peter Augruso and CEO/general secretary Kevin Blue also expressed their “unequivocal disapproval” in a joint statement announcing that their organisation would be conducting its own independent investigation.
It read: “On behalf of our federation, we offer our sincere apologies to the impacted players, coaches, and officials.
“Canada Soccer has always sought to prioritise integrity and fair competition, and we understand that competing with honesty is a baseline expectation for all Canadians. We failed to meet those expectations in this case, and for that, we apologise.”PA
