Women’s soccer coach Priestman apologizes, takes accountability for scandal

PARIS — Canadian women’s soccer coach Bev Priestman said she is taking accountability and co-operating with an investigation into a spying scandal involving the women’s soccer team that has blown up at the Paris Games.

Preistman offered her first public comments on the scandal Sunday in a statement issued by her lawyers.

She says she is “heartbroken” for the players on the team and apologized to team members and Canadians.

Priestman and two assistants were suspended by FIFA for a year as a part of a punishment for a developing situation that started when an analyst was caught using a drone to spy on New Zealand team practices before the start of Olympic competition.

The sanctions also included a six-point penalty — the equivalent of two wins in the Olympic tournament — for the defending champion Canadians in Paris and a fine of around $313,000 levied against Canada Soccer.

Earlier Sunday, Canadian sports minister Carla Qualtrough announced that the government is withholding some of Canada Soccer’s funding as a result of the scandal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 28, 2024.

The Canadian Press