The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) has removed Bev Priestman, head coach of the women’s national football team, from the remainder of the Paris Games following allegations of a drone spying scandal.
In a statement released early Friday, the COC announced that assistant coach Andy Spence would take over the reins of the defending gold medallists for the rest of the tournament.
The controversy erupted this week when two team staffers were sent home for allegedly using a drone to spy on a New Zealand practice session. Although Priestman denied any involvement, she did not attend Canada’s 2-1 victory over New Zealand on Thursday as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and FIFA investigate the claims.
Kevin Blue, Canada Soccer CEO and general secretary, revealed in the COC statement that new information about previous drone use against opponents, predating the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, had come to light. Consequently, Priestman was suspended from her duties pending the conclusion of the tournament and an independent external review by the organization.
Earlier this week, the COC confirmed that assistant coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joseph Lombardi were “sent home immediately” and that Priestman had voluntarily stepped aside from coaching the opening match.
During a brief press conference on Wednesday, after guiding her team through a one-hour practice, Priestman expressed her disappointment: “My reaction was you feel like this program has let the country down. That’s why I took the proactive step to do what I felt was the right thing. Irrespective of the details, I’m ultimately accountable.”
Priestman, 38, signed a contract in late January to coach Canada through the 2027 Women’s World Cup. She was appointed in November 2020, succeeding Kenneth Heiner-Møller, and had been working on a rolling contract. Under her leadership, Canada won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, although the team was eliminated in the group stage of last year’s World Cup. Her record with the team stands at 28 wins, nine losses, and 10 draws.
Before her current tenure, Priestman spent five years with the Canadian Soccer Association in various coaching roles. She returned to her native England in June 2018 to coach the women’s under-18 team and serve as assistant coach for the senior women’s team. Previously, she headed football development in New Zealand for over four years until June 2013.
