Julius OkorieThe last has not been heard about the Canada drone scandal as Sport Canada has withheld the salaries of suspended Women soccer coach Bev Priestman and two other suspended team officials describing the drone scandal as a huge embarrassment to all Canadians.
Canada’s team were docked six points in a massive blow to their hopes of retaining the Olympic title, while Priestman and officials Joseph Lombardi and Jasmine Mander were banned from any soccer-related activity for one year by Fifa.
Join our WhatsApp Channel“Using a drone to survey another team during a closed practice is cheating,” Canada’s Sport Minister, Carla Qualtrough, said in a statement.
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“It is completely unfair to Canadian players and to opposing teams. It undermines the integrity of the game itself.
“Given that the Women’s Programme receives funding from Sport Canada, we are withholding funding relating to suspended Canada Soccer officials for the duration of their Fifa sanction.”
Sport Canada is in the process of determining the exact amount of funding to be withheld, the minister’s office told Reuters in a statement, adding the withheld funding will not impact the overall available funding to the women’s programme.
“There is a deeply concerning pattern of behaviour at Canada Soccer.” the statement said. “We must, and will, get to the bottom of this. This issue has caused significant distraction and embarrassment for Team Canada and all Canadians here in Paris and at home.”
Canada Soccer has said it was exploring how it could appeal against the six-point penalty imposed by Fifa, which left Canada on minus three points in Group A with two matches left to play. They are scheduled to face France later on Sunday.
Former Canada players are are angry about the development noting that the embarrassment is sad for players who have worked hard in pursuit of laurels.
“Furious. Fuming. Sad. Heartbroken. These players don’t deserve this,” former goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe, who helped Canada win gold in Tokyo, posted on X.
“They’ve been let down by so many of their own people, not just NT (national team) staff.”
Diana Matheson, who retired in 2020 after 206 appearances for the Canada, gave her full support to the team.
“I stand with the players. I’m with you. Canadians are with you. Last game, next game, all the games, we are right there with you,” she said.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
