The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) has dismissed national women’s soccer head coach Bev Priestman for the remainder of the Paris Games. following alleged drone spying scandal.
The COC said in a statement released Friday morning that assistant coach Andy Spence would lead the defending gold medalists for the remainder of the tournament.
The Canadian camp was thrown into disarray this week after two team personnel were sent home for allegedly using a drone to spy on a New Zealand practice.
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Priestman has denied involvement but did not attend Thursday’s 2-1 win over New Zealand while FIFA – soccer’s world governing body – and the International Olympic Committee investigate.
Canada Soccer CEO and General Secretary Kevin Blue said in the COC statement that “additional information has been brought to our attention regarding the previous use of drones against opponents, prior to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.”
He added that Priestman had been suspended from her duties until the end of the tournament and the completion of the independent external review of the organizations.
Priestman agreed to a contract in late January to coach Canada until the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
Priestman was hired in November 2020 to succeed Kenneth Heiner-Møller and was working on a rolling contract.
She led Canada to a gold medal at the 2021 Olympics, but was eliminated in the group stage of last year’s World Cup. She coached the team to 28 wins, nine losses and 10 draws.
Priestman spent five years with the Canadian Soccer Association in various coaching roles before returning in June 2018 to her native England, where she served as coach of the women’s under-18 team and assistant coach of the senior women’s team.
Before that, she spent almost five years as head of football development in New Zealand before leaving in June 2013.
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