Paris 2024 Olympics: Canada football manager removed over drone controversy

Drone spying scandal rocks Canada’s women’s football team. Head coach Coach Bev Priestman sacked, Andy Spence takes over amid FIFA probe.

Canada football manager removed over drone controversy. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)

New Delhi: The 2024 Paris Olympics have already sparked plenty of controversy, and it has barely been two days since football kicked off in France. 

First, before the start of the tournament, the Canadian women’s team were caught flying a drone over a New Zealand training session ahead of their opening match. On the starting day of the competition, Argentina’s men were denied a late equaliser against Morocco 90 minutes after fans had left the stadium,  with three final minutes played out in an empty stadium.  

Now, in the fallout from the recent spying scandal, the Canada Olympic Committee has sent women’s football head coach Bev Priestman home from the Olympics. Assistant coach Andy Spence will lead the defending gold medalists for the remainder of the Paris Games. 

Two members of the Canadian staff had already been removed from the games for their part in the incident. FIFA has also opened an investigation against the Canadian Football Association. Bev Priestman denied involvement and voluntarily withdrew from managing the team against New Zealand. But it has been confirmed that the 38-year-old Priestman will not be involved in the Olympics further. 

Canada head coach Ben Priestman was appointed back in 2020 and led the Canadian side to winning gold at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo as well as the final of the 2022 CONCACAF Women’s Championship. 

It has been claimed that Canadian women used drones inappropriately in the past, and they have found some additional information regarding drone use against opponents in the past 24 hours. 

Addressing the same, Canada Soccer CEO and general secretary Kevin Blue released a statement on Friday- ” In light of these new revelations, Canada Soccer has decided to suspend women’s national team head coach Bev Priestman for the remainder of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and until the completion of our recently announced independent external review.” 

Canada beat the New Zealand side 2-1 on Thursday evening. They will face hosts France in their next second-group match on Saturday. 

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