Paris 2024: Canada suspend Beverly Priestman over drone incident

Canada women’s football manager Beverly Priestman has been removed as Olympic head coach and suspended by the country’s football federation as the fall out continued after a drone was flown over New Zealand’s training session on Monday.

Canada Soccer said it took the action because “over the past 24 hours, additional information has come to our attention regarding previous drone use against opponents, predating the Paris 2024 Olympic Games”.

English-born Priestman, 38, had “voluntarily” withdrawn from her side’s opening 2-0 victory over the Kiwis on Thursday, while Jasmine Mander, Priestman’s assistant, was sent home along with “unaccredited analyst” Joseph Lombardi.

On Thursday a French court said Lombardi had been handed an eight-month suspended jail sentence after pleading guilty to flying a drone in an urban area without a licence.

In a statement Canada Soccer chief executive Kevin Blue confirmed Priestman will be suspended for the remainder of the Games while an “independent external review” takes place.

Assistant coach Andy Spence will take charge for the remainder of the Games, with the defending Olympic champion’s next game against France on Sunday.

Speaking at a news conference on Friday, Canadian Olympic Committee chief executive David Shoemaker said: “One of the key pieces of information was the conclusion from Canada Soccer that (Priestman) needed to be suspended based on their accumulation of facts.

“I’ve seen some of the information they have, and we gathered some additional information ourselves that made me conclude that she was highly likely to have been aware of the incidents here.”

In a statement on Wednesday, Priestman confirmed she took responsibility for the actions of her colleagues after a scouting report filed by Lombardi was sent to Mander.

Following the incident, Priestman said: “I first and foremost want to apologise to the players and staff at New Zealand Football and to the players on Team Canada. This does not represent the values that our team stands for.

“I am ultimately responsible for conduct in our program.”

Shoemaker added he was “comfortable with the team competing as it is”.

“If more facts and circumstances emerge, we can continue to contemplate further action as necessary,” he said.

“It’s important to me that Canadians’ questions are answered, and so we’re going to continue to do our best to answer those questions.”

Fifa also opened their own disciplinary proceedings against Priestman, Lombardi and Mander on Wednesday.