PARIS—The Canadian Olympic Committee has removed women’s national soccer Coach Bev Priestman for the remainder of the Paris Games following an alleged drone-spying scandal.
The COC said in a statement released early Friday (Paris time) that Andy Spence, a team assistant coach, would lead the defending gold medalists for the remainder of the tournament.
Canada’s camp was thrown into disarray this week after two team staffers were sent home for allegedly using a drone to spy on a New Zealand practice session.
Priestman denied any involvement but did not attend Thursday’s 2–1 victory over New Zealand as FIFA—soccer’s world governing body—and the International Olympic Committee investigate.
Kevin Blue, the Canada Soccer CEO and general secretary, said in the COC release that “additional information has come to our attention regarding previous drone use against opponents, pre-dating the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.”
He added that Priestman was suspended from her duties until the end of the tournament and the completion of the organization’s independent external review.
Priestman had agreed to a contact in late January to coach Canada through the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
Priestman was hired in November 2020 to succeed Kenneth Heiner-Møller and had been working on a rolling contract. She led Canada to a gold medal at the 2021 Olympics, but the team was eliminated in the group stage of last year’s World Cup. She has coached the team to 28 wins, nine losses and 10 draws.
Priestman spent five years with the Canadian Soccer Association in a variety of 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 with the senior women’s team. Before that, she spent 4 1/2 years as head of football development in New Zealand.
